GUWAHATI, Oct 12 - Arunachal Pradesh Government in an affidavit filed recently before the Gauhati High Court has stated that out of 47 persons against whom corruption cases are pending, prosecution sanction has been granted for 23 persons. Of the remaining 24 persons, three have been retired, two have expired, two have been dropped and one has been rejected.
A Division Bench of the Court, by an order on September 8 in a Contempt Case, had directed the Additional Advocate Generalof Arunachal Pradesh to submit information regarding sanctions to be granted against how many public servants and out of those how many are retired and how many are still in service.
The affidavit was filed in pursuance of the Court order. The affidavit further said that for remaining 16 persons prosecution sanction is under process. Enclosed with the affidavit was a list of names and designations of the officers against whom sanction of prosecution is awaited or under process.
Chief Justice (Acting) K Sreedhar Rao and Justice AK Goswami, who were hearing the contempt case expressed that in terms of the directions passed on January 9, 2012, by the court in a PIL, Arunachal Pradesh Government ought to have taken a decision on the grant of prosecution sanction of its public servants. Additional Advocate General, Arunachal Pradesh, Kardak Ete, sought time. The court granted time till September 28 to apprise the court of the decision of the State Government.
Senior Counsel Bhaskar Dev Konwar appearing for S Nithinandam, DGP, Arunachal Pradesh filed an affidavit before the court stating that the State Government by a notification dated May 12, 2005, created a Special Investigation Cell (SIC) under the Vigilance Department to investigate all cases against public servants involving offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
It was further ordered that all such cases at various stages of investigation shall stand transferred to SIC. Accordingly, the corruption cases relating to the Public Distribution System in the State, which was originally registered by the Crime Branch Police Station (SIT), Police Headquarters, Itanagar, was transferred to the SIC. Thereafter, subsequent cases were registered and investigated by the SIC.
The court deferred the hearing of the discharge of the DGP from the contempt proceedings till the next date, September 28 but exempted the personal appearance of the DGP. Earlier, the High Court had issued non-bailable warrant of arrest against the Chief Secretary and the DGP, which was subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court on September 7 last.
