Observing that tainted officers cannot be posted to institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the Chief Secretary to post only those officers having credibility and who can take the ACB to a greater height in preventing corruption in administration and to protect the public interest.
The court also directed the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), to ensure that details regarding service records as well as the integrity of the officers concerned be placed before the Chief Secretary while considering the persons to be posted to the ACB.
Justice H.P. Sandesh issued the direction while noticing negative remarks made in the service records of IPS officer Seemant Kumar Singh, Additional Director General of Police (ACB).
The reviewing authority, in the service record, had remarked that Mr. Singh has to give adequate attention to the police image while performing his duties and while supervising the subordinate officers, etc., the court pointed out.
CBI report on illegal mining in Ballari
The court took note of the fact from the records that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2013 raided the residence of Mr. Singh in connection with his role related to illegal mining when he was posted as Superintendent of Police, Ballari, during 2009-10.
Also, the court noticed from the record that the CBI had sent a report to the State government in 2015 to take action against officers who had failed to take action to stop illegal mining in Ballari, as it is the jurisdiction of the State government to act on instances of corruption against its officers.
Justice Sandesh also directed that the government should not yield to pressure and posting of the officers to the ACB should not be on any consideration, including any internal or external influences. The government was also directed that those officers, whose family members or relatives are facing any complaint before the ACB or the Lokayukta, should not be posted to the ACB.
The court had summoned the service records of Mr. Singh and CBI report on raid conducted on his residence during the hearing of the bail petition filed by a deputy tahsildar, who is an accused in the bribery case against J. Manjunath, the then Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district.
