Prosecution sanction if charges found prima facie true: Karnataka CM Bommai

Putting an end to the long wait by ACB officials in getting prosecution permission to interrogate the government officials facing corruption charges, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that permission will be granted henceforth if charges are found to be prima facie true.

Replying to a question by BJP member Y A Narayana Swamy in the Legislative Council, Bommai acknowledged the prolonged delay in according permission.

"It has come to our notice that some of the departments, such as the urban development department and others, have been turning down ACB's requests by forming internal committees, comprising principal secretaries, secretaries and deputy secretaries, are refusing to give sanction orders for prosecution."

"It is not good on our part to protect the corrupt officials by denying permission to prosecute if charges against such officials are found true during the preliminary investigations. I have ordered to cancel all such internal committees with immediate effect and directed them to bring all such cases to the notice of the state government," he said.

Bommai revealed that ACB has registered about 310 cases and carried out raids on the office, houses and properties of 371 officials in the last five years. "Out of these, the ACB officials have completed investigation in 63 cases. They have recommended action against 223 accused officials," Bommai stated.

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