law: Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011
  Chapter III Inquiry in Relation to Public Interest Disclosure
  5.  Powers and functions of Competent Authority on receipt of
  
  public interest disclosure.
  1.    Subject
  
  to the provisions of this Act, the Competent Authority shall, on receipt of a
  
  public interest disclosure under section 4,-
  a.  
  
    ascertain from the complainant or the public servant whether he
  
  was the person or the public servant who made the disclosure or not;
  b.  
  
    Conceal the in dentity of the complainant unless the complainant
  
  himself has revealed his identity to any other office or authority while making
  
  public interest disclosure or in his complaint or otherwise.
  1.  
  
   
  2.    The
  
  Competent Authority shall, upon receipt of the complaint and concealing the
  
  identity of the complainant, or the public servant in the first instance, make
  
  discreet inquiry, in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed, to
  
  ascertain whether there is any basis for proceeding further to investigate the
  
  disclosure.
  3.    If the
  
  Competent Authority, either as a result of the discreet inquiry, or on the
  
  basis of the disclosure itself without any inquiry, is of the opinion that the
  
  disclosure requires to be investigated, it shall seek comments or explanation
  
  or report from the Head of the Department of the organisation or authority,
  
  board or corporation concerned or office concerned within such time as may be
  
  specified by it.
  4.    While
  
  seeking comments or explanations or report referred to in sub-section (3 ),
  
  the Competent Authority shall not reveal the identity of the complainant or the
  
  public servant and direct the Head of the Department of the organisation
  
  concerned or office concerned not to reveal the identity of the complainant or
  
  public servant:
  Provided that if the Competent Authority is of the opinion that
  
  it has, for the purpose of seeking comments or explanation or report from them
  
  under sub-section (3 ) on the public disclosure, become necessary to
  
  reveal the identity of the complainant or public servant to the Head of the
  
  Department of the organisation or authority, board or corporation concerned or
  
  office concerned, the Competent Authority may, with the prior written consent
  
  of the complainant or public servant, reveal the identity of the complainant or
  
  public servant to such Head of the Department of the organisation or authority,
  
  board or corporation concerned or office concerned for the said purpose:
  Provided further that in case the complainant or public servant
  
  does not agree to his name being revealed to the Head of the Department, in
  
  that case, the complainant or public servant, as the case may be, shall provide
  
  all documentary evidence in support of his complaint to the Competent
  
  Authority.
  1.  
  
   
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  5.    The
  
  Head of the organisation or office concerned shall not directly or indirectly
  
  reveal the identity of the complainant or public servant who made the
  
  disclosure.
  6.    The
  
  Competent Authority, if after conducting an inquiry, is of the opinion that-
  a.  
  
    the facts and allegations contained in the disclosure are
  
  frivolous or vexatious; or
  b.  
  
    there are no sufficient grounds for proceeding with the inquiry,
  
  it shall close the matter.
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  5.  
  
   
  6.  
  
   
  7.    After
  
  receipt of the comments or explanations or report referred to in sub-section (3 ),
  
  if the Competent Authority is of the opinion that such comments or explanations
  
  or report reveals either wilful misuse of power or wilful misuse of discretion
  
  or substantiates allegations of corruption, it shall recommend to the public
  
  authority to take any one or more of the following measures, namely:-
   
  
   i.  
  
    initiating proceedings against the concerned public servant;
   
  
   ii.  
  
    taking appropriate administrative steps for redressing the loss
  
  caused to the Government as a result of the corrupt practice or misuse of
  
  office or misuse of discretion, as the case may be;
   
  
   iii.  
  
    recommend to the appropriate authority or agency for initiation
  
  of criminal proceedings under the relevant laws for the time being in force, if
  
  so warranted by the facts and circumstances of the case;
   
  
   iv.  
  
    recommend for taking of corrective measures;
   
  
   v.  
  
    take any other measures not falling under clauses (i ) to
  
  (iv ) which may be necessary for the purpose of this Act.
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  8.    The
  
  public authority to whom a recommendation is made under sub-section (7 )
  
  shall take a decision on such recommendation within three months of receipt of
  
  such recommendation, or within such extended period not exceeding three months,
  
  as the Competent Authority may allow on a request made by the public authority:
  Provided that in case the public authority does not agree with
  
  the recommendation of the Competent Authority, it shall record the reasons for
  
  such disagreement.
  9.    The
  
  Competent Authority shall, after making an inquiry, inform the complainant or
  
  public servant about the action taken on the complaint and the final outcome
  
  thereof:
  Provided that in a case where, after making an inquiry, the
  
  Competent Authority decides to close the case, it shall, before passing the
  
  order for closure of the case, provide an opportunity of being heard to the
  
  complainant, if the complainant so desires.