HYDERABAD: The Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) has been quite actively in the past few years, often registering two or three trap cases in a single day, but a large share of its work is losing momentum once files reach the sanction stage, according to the Forum for Good Governance (FGG).
An RTI query filed by the forum revealed that the last five years have produced a steady rise in ACB action, with 621 cases booked. Yet an analysis shows that the real bottleneck is not investigation but the point where the state government must decide whether officials can be prosecuted. Out of 519 cases in which inquiries were completed, most remain in limbo, waiting for this approval.
The FGG said trials move slowly even when sanction is granted. A routine trap case often takes close to a decade to reach judgment. Some files have remained open for 15 years, allowing officials to retire without a verdict.
The forum argued that this prolonged cycle has eroded fear of punitive action. It said employees “are not bothered about ACB cases” because the system shields officials instead of pushing cases to their logical end. Earlier pleas to the chief minister and chief secretary on the rising pendency, it said, did not result in action.
FGG president M Padmanabha Reddy has appealed to the CM to step in, warning that unchecked delays are affecting citizens and undermining confidence in the administration. He also sought clear instructions to speed up sanction and ensure ACB cases reach court without extended pauses.