Telangana: The Anti-Corruption Bureau's (ACB) operations in Telangana are being hampered by delays in obtaining prosecution sanctions from government departments.
Despite trapping several officials accepting bribes, the agency has been unable to proceed with investigations in many cases for want of permission from their respective departments.
According to sources, these delays are derailing inquiries and allowing tainted officials to rejoin service on bail. Some officers caught red-handed while taking bribes have even managed to secure key postings again after winning the favour of their superiors.
Officials and anti-graft activists say this trend has undermined the deterrent effect of ACB actions. "Senior officers' reluctance to grant permission for prosecution has slowed down many cases for years," an ACB official said.
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Under service rules, once an ACB trap or disproportionate assets case is registered, the bureau must obtain approval from the head of the concerned department before filing a chargesheet. However, officials said that in several cases, department heads have kept the ACB's requests pending far beyond the mandatory one-month period.
In the meantime, the accused officials secure bail and return to their posts. Many reportedly leverage their proximity to higher-ups to keep the prosecution files pending indefinitely.
Court orders exploited for fresh postings
Several corrupt officials have allegedly misled the Telangana High Court by concealing the fact that ACB cases are pending against them. After obtaining favourable court orders, they return to service and later approach the court again demanding promotions, citing delays in departmental action.
Sources said this pattern reflects an organised effort to use judicial relief and bureaucratic inaction as shields against accountability. Senior officials' failure to challenge such court orders has further weakened the ACB's position, they added.
In the last nine months, the ACB registered 203 cases, but sanctions were denied or delayed in nearly a quarter of them, officials said.
Background: systemic delays weaken deterrence
The ACB has been seeking stricter timelines and automatic approvals for prosecution when departments fail to respond within a specified period. Anti-graft campaigners argue that unless the government enforces accountability among departmental heads, corruption cases will continue to languish without trial.