Bengaluru
In a significant legal development, the Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal case initiated under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC against three IAS officers, including two retired officers. This action comes in response to a private complaint that alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for rural water supply and sanitation. The three officers involved in the case are Amita Prasad, E.V. Raman Reddy, and T.M. Vijaya Bhaskar, with Amita Prasad serving as the Principal Secretary of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over a single-judge bench, granted the petition filed by these retired IAS officers, leading to the cancellation of the case against them. The High Court’s decision effectively brings an end to the trial of Amita Prasad, Raman Reddy, and Vijaya Bhaskar in the 23rd Additional City Civil and Sessions Court (Prevention of Corruption Act Special Court). However, it’s important to note that this ruling does not impact the trial of other individuals involved in the case, apart from the petitioners. The crux of the matter revolved around the absence of prior permission from the competent authority for investigating these three officials. The case hinged on a tripartite agreement signed in 2010 between the Union Ministry of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, the State Water and Sanitation Mission, and Syndicate Bank for project implementation. None of the three petitioners were parties to this agreement. Amita Prasad served as the Principal Secretary of the Department from May 16, 2011, to June 8, 2012. Similarly, Raman Reddy held the position of principal secretary from September 22, 2012, to May 31, 2013, while Vijaya Bhaskar served in this capacity from May 31, 2013, to April 24, 2015.
