THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the controversy over the bar bribery case is yet to die down, former Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (VACB) Director N Shanker Reddy got a major reprieve when a Vigilance Special Court absolved him of alleged involvement in efforts to sabotage the probe in the case to help former Finance Minister K M Mani in the case. In the verdict, Special Judge D Ajith Kumar observed as Vigilance director Shanker Reddy had the authority to give necessary directives to his subordinates in the matter of investigation. “He is rather duty-bound to assess the evidence collected by the Investigating Officer and to take a final decision on a factual report.
The Director General of Police has the authority to arrive at a conclusion different from that of his subordinates and such powers are vested under the Vigilance Manual as well as the Code of Criminal Procedure,” the Judge stated. Rejecting the petition filed by Paichira Navas of Pallipuram, the Judge said: “The conduct on the part of the first respondent (Shanker Reddy) is strictly in tune with the Vigilance Manual and the procedural law, which cannot be dragged to a criminal court by casting aspersions on the DGP. There is absolutely no merit in the facts alleged in the complaint.
”The petitioner had alleged that Shanker Reddy deliberately attempted to close the probe against K M Mani in the bar bribery case. “I discharged my duty as per the Vigilance manual. There has been concerted move by people with vested interests to target me by levelling baseless allegations. The verdict justifies my stand,” Shanker Reddy told Express. The court also rejected another petition filed by Paichira Navas alleging conspiracy and corruption in elevating Reddy to the rank of DGP by the previous UDF Government .
I discharged my duty as per the Vigilance manual. There has been concerted move by people with vested interests to target me by levelling baseless allegations. The court’s verdict justifies my stand
N Shanker Reddy, former director, VACB