Thiruvananthapuram: The
vigilance special court here has
absolved DGP N Shanker Reddy of allegations that there was a calculated move on his side to sabotage the
bar bribery case when he was posted as director of vigilance and anti-corruption bureau.
The court pronounced its verdict on Thursday on a petition filed by Thiruvananthapuram native Paichira Navas that Shanker Reddy deliberately attempted to close the probe against K M Mani in the bar bribery case. The vigilance court, in its verdict said that the vigilance director has got ample authority to give necessary directions to his subordinates in the matter of investigation. “He is rather duty-bound to assess the evidence collected by the investigating officer and to take a final decision on a factual report. The DGP has got the authority to take a different conclusion than that of subordinates and such power is incorporated in the vigilance manual as well as CrPC,” the court said.
The court further stated that the conduct on the part of the first respondent is strictly in tune with the vigilance manual and the procedural law, which cannot be dragged to a criminal court by casting aspersions against the DGP. There is absolutely no merit in the allegations made in the complaint, the court concluded.
In another verdict on a complaint that there was conspiracy in elevating Reddy to the rank of DGP, the court said that it can proceed only if any prima facie material is made available to the court with regard to the commission of a cognizable offence.
“The promotion of an officer is governed by special rules. The authority of the government to take necessary cabinet decision with regard to the promotion of the employee can never be a subject matter of a criminal case. The complaint does not disclose any cognizable offence and hence it is liable to be rejected at its threshold,” the court said.