BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to accord approval within four weeks under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act for registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri D and the then Managing Director of Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation for investigation by the Lokayukta police into alleged corruption and consequent loss to the state exchequer in the procurement of eco-friendly cloth bags by her as Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru.
The court said a cloth bag available in the open market at Rs 13 per unit was sought to be procured at Rs 52, pursuant to a decision attributed to the DC.
Further, funds earmarked for welfare schemes within urban local bodies and gram panchayaths of the district were diverted to procure the bags. The approval sought under Section 17A pertains to a case which, at least prima facie, discloses elements of corruption, the court said.
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Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the order on March 27, allowing the petition filed by Mysuru-based advocate Ravichandre Gowda NR, seeking to quash the communication issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), rejecting the approval under Section 17A of the Act.
Referring to the communication issued rejecting the approval sought by the Lokayukta police, he said it is verbatim similar to the earlier order, except for the statement that Rohini has been exonerated in a departmental enquiry.
The court observed that if any officer is exonerated in a departmental enquiry, it is no law that even the crime cannot be registered. The court said the coordinate bench had already issued a direction to reconsider the matter. Yet, the government has chosen to reiterate its earlier position. Therefore, a further remand would serve no fruitful purpose and, therefore, deems it appropriate to direct the Chief Secretary to accord approval for the registration of the FIR and for the conduct of an investigation in accordance with law, the court ordered.
An order was issued for procurement of 14,71,458 bags, both 5 kg and 10 kg capacity eco-friendly cloth bags, at Rs 52 per bag including GST, at the cost of Rs 7.65 crore, resulting in loss to the state exchequer to the tune of Rs 5.88 crore, the petitioner alleged.
A complaint was lodged by the petitioner, which communicated to the DPAR on December 17, 2021, seeking approval under Section 17A. It was rejected on September 19, 2022. This was challenged by the petitioner in 2025 before the high court. A coordinate bench of the court allowed the same on February 20, 2025, and quashed the said communication and remitted the matter to the government.
However, the DPAR rejected it on May 26, 2025, which was challenged again before the high court by the petitioner.