Kerala High Court lambasts vigilance raj'

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday criticised the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau and observed that if  the Vigilance was given the power to comment on, or direct the government to review the administrative decisions and actions taken, Kerala will go to 'vigilance raj.' “The government will have to think very seriously and decide whether the VACB should be allowed to 'reign' over the government,” it said.  The court made the observation on a petition filed by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala seeking to quash the order of the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court to conduct a probe against him in a case relating to the appointment of N. Shankar Reddy as director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, by the previous UDF government. Former DGP T. Asaf Ali appeared for Mr  Chennithala.

The court also criticised the steps taken by Vigilance special court judges.  “It appears that some of our special judges (Vigilance) do not know the scope and extent of their functions under the Prevention of Corruption Act. I have come across so many complaints mechanically and senselessly forwarded, either for preliminary inquiry, or for investigation, thus resulting in consequences,” the Single Judge observed and added that it was  unfortunate that the trial court also ventured to decide on the legality or propriety of the decision taken by the government to promote police officers. The court  expressed dissatisfaction over the statement filed by the VACB  on a plea by Mr  Chennithala challenging the Vigilance special court order. The investigating officer will have to file a proper report as directed by the court.   “It appears that the officer has not understood the spirit and purport of the order passed by the court on February 1,”  the court observed.