Court verdict on corruption cases is big setback for govt

The Supreme Court today said the Prime Minister's Office had mishandled a request made by Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy asking for permission to prosecute former Telecom Minister A Raja for alleged corruption. Mr Swamy was kept waiting for 16 months - a delay that was inappropriate according to the Supreme Court. "The concerned officers in the Prime Minister's Office kept the matter pending and then took the shelter of the fact that the CBI had registered the case and the investigation was pending," said the two judges who heard the case. However, they were much gentler on the Prime Minister. Dr Manmohan Singh, they said "is not expected to personally look into the minute details of every case placed before him and has to depend on his advisers and other officers."