CUTTACK: Expressing concern over years of inaction in a corruption case pending since 2015, the Orissa High Court has directed the Vigilance department to submit its final report within eight weeks.
A single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi observed that prolonged investigative delays undermine both the rights of the accused and public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Justice Panigrahi issued the direction while dismissing a petition filed by a tehsildar and an amin of Barang tehsil seeking quashing of criminal proceedings arising from a Vigilance trap case registered against them in September 2015.
The case was registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act on allegations that the two officials had demanded Rs 4 lakh as illegal gratification, with Rs 50,000 sought as the first instalment. Vigilance officials laid a trap after receiving the complaint. Investigators alleged that the complainant handed over Rs 50,000 to the amin on the instructions of the tehsildar. However, the tainted money could not be recovered during the operation.
Following investigation, the Vigilance officers submitted a final report in December 2016, concluding that no prima facie case was made out due to the non-recovery of the bribe amount and lack of corroboration from an overhearing witness.
The Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, declined to accept the report in December 2017 and instead ordered further investigation. Despite repeated directions from the trial court thereafter, the investigation remained inconclusive for several years, with no final form being submitted.
Taking note of the prolonged pendency, Justice Panigrahi observed that investigative delays erode public trust and adversely affect both the accused’s right to speedy justice and society’s interest in effective prosecution of corruption offences.
At the same time, the court refused to interfere with the 2017 order directing further investigation, holding that the materials collected could not be termed inherently improbable or so deficient as to justify quashing the proceedings at the threshold.
He directed the Vigilance authorities to submit the final report before the Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, within eight weeks and asked the trial court to proceed with utmost expedition thereafter.