SC dismisses pleas against abolition of Karnataka ACB

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected petitions questioning the Karnataka High Court's August 11 judgement abolishing the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli dismissed two separate petitions filed by Kankaraju and Karnataka Police Mahasangha, saying how they were aggrieved with the decision of the High Court, which transferred all pending probes in corruption cases to the Lokayukta.

"How are you aggrieved? The HC has said powers will remain with the Lokayukta. We will not interfere," the bench said.

A counsel for one of the petitioners contended the Lokayukta did not have the power to investigate all the cases, which the ACB could.

He claimed stated that the Lokayukta cannot probe cases where the accused public servant may be earning less than Rs 20,000 per month.

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The court, however, said it would not entertain proxy litigation.

The court also rejected similar petition by the Karnataka Police Mahasangha, saying "You just want to make money by having complaints. You people are officers of the State, and can't appear through Mahasangh. We will not entertain. Let an aggrieved person come then we will deal with it."

On August 11, the High Court's division bench had set aside the order issued on March 14, 2016 for creating the ACB by withdrawing the power vested with the Karnataka Lokayukta to probe all cases of corruption against the public servants.

The court had then transferred all pending probes, inquiry and investigation to the Lokayukta. The order had come on a batch of PILs filed by the Advocates Association, Bengaluru and NGO Samaj Parivartan Samudaya and others.