‘Punish both takers and givers of bribes’

Passing orders on a plea pertaining to officials receiving bribe for granting patta on ‘Odai Poramboke’ in Kancheepuram, Justice S M Subramaniam said, “Though disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those officials as per the submission of the government Advocate, this court is of an opinion that it is not sufficient and all those officials as well as the individuals abetting such a crime are to be prosecuted under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.”

Also, directing the Home Secretary to issue such a circular within four weeks and the Director of Vigilance and Anti-corruption to prosecute the abettors of the crime of corruption, the Judge said “There is a definite complaint from the public that touts, and brokers are engaged by some public officials for the purpose of demanding and receiving bribes. These persons are also to be prosecuted for abetting the crime of corruption. However, rarely such actions are initiated by Vigilance Department and police officials.”

“Though the Prevention of Corruption Act is comprehensive in nature, enabling the authorities to prosecute both the persons, who are demanding and accepting bribe as well as the persons, who are abetting the crime of corrupt activities.

However, actions are initiated against persons, who are demanding and accepting bribe, but persons who are abetting the crime of corruption are not prosecuted by police officials. Such an attitude requires drastic change in order to minimise the corrupt activities in our nation,” the Judge added.

Further, the Judge, on recording the government Advocate’s submission that in the case before it, the officials had colluded with few individuals and issued bogus revenue documents based on which, the present writ petition is filed, directed the Kancheepuram district administration to initiate criminal action against the officials as well as the abettors of the crime and register an FIR regards issuance of bogus patta and prosecute the offenders by conducting an investigation.

The Judge then directed the registry to post the matter after six weeks for reporting compliance.