Hyderabad: Even though the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been registering at least 150 cases every year, including against tainted policemen on graft charges, there has been only one conviction of any policeman in the last few years. Many of the cases remain pending in courts. The 2022 conviction of an SI pertained to a case that was registered in 2010.
As regards trap cases, the ACB collects details from complainants and register cases by trapping the tainted policemen. The chemical tests reports and the cash that is seized are key evidence in such cases to get conviction of accused police officers.
To cite an instance, on September 3, 2022, the court convicted Madhapur sub-inspector K. Rajendra in a bribery case and sentenced him to two-year imprisonment. When Rajendra was working in Raidurgam, he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 in 2010. After 12 years, the court convicted him. It remains the last case of conviction of a police official in recent years.
However, investigation officers (IOs) of several cases being probed by ACB, obtain leads, including proper evidence, in connection with graft charges and file chargesheets before the courts, which then hear cases based on evidence and submissions of accused officers' counsels along with documented evidence.
Advocate M. Madhav Kumar said that after ACB traps an individual, completion of investigation and collection of evidence takes time due to lack of manpower or transfers of officials involved in the investigation. Once the court completes the entire process, the accused officers will get convictions, albeit in trap cases.
Meanwhile, senior ACB officers, who are monitoring the recent cases, have asked IOs to expedite probes by collecting proper evidence and file charge sheets before the courts. A regular monitor on court activities would also help the ACB to get convictions of accused officers.
