Corrupt Public Servants

The Supreme Court today said a public servant can be convicted for illegal gratification in a corruption case on the basis of circumstantial evidence when there is no direct oral or documentary evidence against them.

Corruption by a public servant is an offence against the State and the society and courts cannot deal with such cases like "suits for specific performance", the Supreme Court said on Thursday.

The Lokpal has failed to provide prosecution sanction to public servants charged with corruption, since its constitution nearly three years ago, according to an RTI reply by the anti-graft ombudsman.

The Centre has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for police officers to seek mandatory prior approval before conducting any investigation against allegedly corrupt public servants, according to a Personnel Ministry order.

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has refused to share details on search operations conducted by the Income Tax department against corrupt public servants of the state government citing an exemption clause under the RTI Act.

The Centre on Wednesday defended its amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act mandating its prior nod before proceeding against a public servant, asserting that it was intended to "insulate the innocent bribe-givers from harassment".

The Congress has criticised the Rajasthan government for passing an ordinance which seeks to protect the serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the state from being investigated for on-duty action, without its prior sanction.

The new law that shields public servants including lawmakers and ministers from being investigated for on-duty action without prior sanction was necessary to end frivolous allegations meant to defame officials, a top Rajasthan minister has said, defending the law that the opposition Congress says was designed to "protect the interest of the corrupt...

Days after her nephew TTV Dinakaran found himself behind bars in Delhi, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala is making a bid to get out of the Bengaluru jail where she is serving a four-year jail term. On Wednesday, Sasikala filed a review petition against her conviction by the Supreme Court that had hauled her off to jail in February, arguing that...

A court in Delhi on Tuesday convicted two Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officials and a contractor in a corruption case, while quoting former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi that corruption by government servants lowered the image of public agencies and hampered development.

The bill, which seeks to set up a mechanism to encourage people to disclose information on corruption or willful misuse of power by public servants, including Ministers, was one of those passed by the Lok Sabha along with the Lokpal Bill last December in an extended Winter Session of Parliament. And like the anti-graft Lokpal Bill, has been stuck i...

In order to check corruption and ensure transparency in public procurement, the Government has introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha under which a public servant can be imprisoned for up to five years for accepting bribe and vitiating the bidding process.

The Supreme Court has today said that the right to file a complaint against a public servant under Prevention of Corruption Act is a constitutional right. The two judges also faulted the Prime Minister's office not taking appropriate action when Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy wrote in, asking for then telecom minister A Raja to be tried f...

The Supreme Court has delivered a verdict that will impact all cases against public officials, bureaucrats and ministers. Today's verdict provokes new embarrassment for the government because it agrees that Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy had every right to ask the Prime Minister's Office to sanction the prosecution of former Telecom Minis...

Dmitry Medvedev joked that he "sometimes itches" to execute civil servants convicted of corruption, Russian news agencies reported today. "The severity of punishment has never been the most important thing for us. Of course, in other countries, you gun down civil servants in public but in our society it is not the same," he said.

The Supreme Court today said a public servant can be convicted for illegal gratification in a corruption case on the basis of circumstantial evidence when there is no direct oral or documentary evidence against them.

Corruption by a public servant is an offence against the State and the society and courts cannot deal with such cases like "suits for specific performance", the Supreme Court said on Thursday.

The Lokpal has failed to provide prosecution sanction to public servants charged with corruption, since its constitution nearly three years ago, according to an RTI reply by the anti-graft ombudsman.

The Centre has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for police officers to seek mandatory prior approval before conducting any investigation against allegedly corrupt public servants, according to a Personnel Ministry order.

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has refused to share details on search operations conducted by the Income Tax department against corrupt public servants of the state government citing an exemption clause under the RTI Act.

The Centre on Wednesday defended its amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act mandating its prior nod before proceeding against a public servant, asserting that it was intended to "insulate the innocent bribe-givers from harassment".

The Congress has criticised the Rajasthan government for passing an ordinance which seeks to protect the serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the state from being investigated for on-duty action, without its prior sanction.

The new law that shields public servants including lawmakers and ministers from being investigated for on-duty action without prior sanction was necessary to end frivolous allegations meant to defame officials, a top Rajasthan minister has said, defending the law that the opposition Congress says was designed to "protect the interest of the corrupt...

Days after her nephew TTV Dinakaran found himself behind bars in Delhi, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala is making a bid to get out of the Bengaluru jail where she is serving a four-year jail term. On Wednesday, Sasikala filed a review petition against her conviction by the Supreme Court that had hauled her off to jail in February, arguing that...

A court in Delhi on Tuesday convicted two Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officials and a contractor in a corruption case, while quoting former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi that corruption by government servants lowered the image of public agencies and hampered development.

The bill, which seeks to set up a mechanism to encourage people to disclose information on corruption or willful misuse of power by public servants, including Ministers, was one of those passed by the Lok Sabha along with the Lokpal Bill last December in an extended Winter Session of Parliament. And like the anti-graft Lokpal Bill, has been stuck i...

In order to check corruption and ensure transparency in public procurement, the Government has introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha under which a public servant can be imprisoned for up to five years for accepting bribe and vitiating the bidding process.

The Supreme Court has today said that the right to file a complaint against a public servant under Prevention of Corruption Act is a constitutional right. The two judges also faulted the Prime Minister's office not taking appropriate action when Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy wrote in, asking for then telecom minister A Raja to be tried f...

The Supreme Court has delivered a verdict that will impact all cases against public officials, bureaucrats and ministers. Today's verdict provokes new embarrassment for the government because it agrees that Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy had every right to ask the Prime Minister's Office to sanction the prosecution of former Telecom Minis...

Dmitry Medvedev joked that he "sometimes itches" to execute civil servants convicted of corruption, Russian news agencies reported today. "The severity of punishment has never been the most important thing for us. Of course, in other countries, you gun down civil servants in public but in our society it is not the same," he said.