In Hyderabad, the Forum for Good Governance (FGG) voiced concerns about delays in handling Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases, suggesting it leads to increased corruption. On Wednesday, they urged Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to ensure these cases are resolved within two to three years.
M Padmanabha Reddy, the president of FGG, highlighted that the ACB frequently registers cases involving traps or disproportionate assets. People are shocked when ACB raids reveal employees owning assets worth hundreds of crores. However, these employees seem unconcerned about consequences because cases are often dropped or severely delayed.
Reddy explained that delays often occur in the Secretariat departments, hindering quick resolution. In cases of traps or disproportionate assets, the accused should be prosecuted within six months. Currently, there are significant delays in granting prosecution permissions. Manipulations in the Secretariat result in cases being sent for departmental inquiries instead of prosecution, often leading to their closure.
Citing past examples, Reddy mentioned a major liquor scam from 2010 involving officers from various departments like Excise and Police. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by DG ACB, investigated and filed 67 cases, submitting a report in 2011. Despite this, manipulations delayed government permission for prosecution, resulting in only 22 cases moving forward. Fifteen cases went to the Commissioner of Inquiries, 20 to the Tribunal for disciplinary action, and 10 to departmental inquiries. Of the 67 cases from 2011 and 2012, only two were finalized, leaving 65 cases unresolved for the last 13 years. This situation is not unique, as no ACB cases have been concluded in a decade, according to Reddy.
