BENGALURU: Castigating the state government over allegations of corruption shaking up the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner’s office and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), High Court judge Justice HP Sandesh on Monday disclosed that a fellow judge had informed him of a threat to his court.
This was after Justice Sandesh, on the last date of hearing, sought to know whether the state government had verified the ACB ADGP’s credentials and integrity prior to his posting, as the CBI had conducted a raid on him when he was Superintendent of Police.
He also wanted to know how many search warrants were issued, how many were executed, and in how many cases ‘B’ reports were filed by ACB.
He also said that he was threatened with transfer after his remark against the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Expressing anguish while hearing bail pleas relating to the accused, caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Justice Sandesh observed: “My concern is only about society, cancerous corruption and about the Prevention of Corruption Act. The fellow judge, informing about the threat, also disclosed that earlier a judge was transferred to another district under similar circumstances. It is a direct attack on the independence of the judiciary. It is my duty to protect the judiciary and I am affiliated only to the Constitution. I will see whether the Constitution, or he (IPS officer from North India) is more powerful. I will not budge to any threat...Being the son of a farmer, ploughing the field is not a humiliation”.
The court had taken objections as to how senior officers were being protected and only junior staff were being prosecuted in the case.
In a related development today, Manjunath J, the IAS officer and former Bengaluru City Deputy Commissioner, was arrested in the same case by ACB.
Justice Sandesh had said the ACB had become a "collection centre" and the ADGP of the ACB a tainted officer.
The court had, on June 29, ordered the ACB to produce details of all cases since 2016 in which the ACB had filed 'B' reports.
When the case came up for hearing again today, Justice Sandesh said, "I am ready for it, for the good of people. Your ACB ADGP seems to be a powerful person. Somebody has told this to my colleague. I have been informed about it by a judge. The threat of transfer will be recorded in the order."
Seemanth Kumar Singh is the ADGP of ACB.
The Judge further said he wasn't afraid of the threats.
"I don't fear anyone. I am ready to bell the cat. I have not accumulated property after becoming a judge. I don't care if I lose the position. I am the son of a farmer. I am ready to till the land. I don't belong to any political party. I don't adhere to any political ideology," he said.
When the ACB counsel informed the court that another Bench is hearing the matter pertaining to the report on 'B' reports, a term for closure reports, Justice Sandesh said, "You have been filing B-reports on those who were caught red-handed.
Why are you not furnishing details to me, while the information has already been given to the Division Bench?" In a further remark on the ACB, the court said, "Are you protecting the public or tainted persons? The black coat is not for the protection of the corrupt. Corruption has become a cancer and it should not reach stage four. The officers are being extorted after threatening them with search warrants."
The court had earlier directed for submission of the service records of the ACB ADGP.
"The service records of ACB ADGP have not been produced before the court. You have reached a stage of issuing threats to the judge. The whole state is mired in corruption. If Vitamin M is there, you will protect anyone," the court said.
The court ordered the presence of the DPAR Secretary in the next hearing on July 7.
When Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadagi requested him not to get hurt over the developments, and said the state government is with the court, Justice Sandesh asked him, “What is happening in the state? ‘B’ report is filed though the accused is caught red-handed accepting bribe. Out of 545 PSI posts, 400 posts are sold. When the state stands humiliated over corruption, what is the government doing? Except sucking blood, the public is being exploited for each and everything in government offices. Why is the state protecting IPS and IAS officers?”
Justice Sandesh also quoted two instances of how corruption cases are being handled in the state -- first, a judge of the trial court was transferred for issuing notice to the Investigating Officer of ACB for filing a ‘B’ report against an IAS officer, in whose house over Rs 4 crore in cash was found, and 5kg of gold was seized during a raid.
The other judge, who was posted in place of the transferred judge, accepted the B report against the tainted IAS officer within a week.
He also gave the example of former Chief Secretary Aravind Jadhav and others who are facing a land grab case. The hearing was adjourned to July 7.
(With PTI Inputs)