State told to respond to graft inaction allegation

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, April 9: A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the AP High Court has directed the state government to respond on a PIL challenging its alleged inaction in according sanction to prosecute officers involved in corruption cases.

O. Yella Reddy, a practicing advocate of the High Court, moved a PIL alleging that the government is shielding the corrupt officials by not granting permission to prosecute them within three years from their retirement to help them get away.

He told the court that the Anti-Corruption Bureau had recommended prosecution against the officials in 1,860 cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act from 2005 till end of February 2014.

The state government’s counsel submitted that earlier, in a similar case, the High Court had given certain directions to prosecute the officer and based on the directions, the government has prescribed certain parameters to accord sanction in cases under the Act.

The bench directed the counsel to file a counter affidavit by explaining the court directions and the parameters of the government to grant sanction in corruption cases.

Worker safety notices issued

The HC has issued notices to the state and the Centre to review the steps initiated by the state and Centre and the statutory authorities for the safety and health of those working in various Coal Fired Thermal Power Plants in Andhra Pradesh.

While admitting the petition, the court directed the respondents to file their counter affidavits. The bench had suo moto taken up the case to examine the steps being initiated by the governments based on a judgement of the Supreme Court for the safety of workers.