Finally,ACB may get to prosecute class-1,2 officers

ACB officers said a nod was given to “around 40 per cent” of pending proposals for sanction of prosecution at a meeting at Mantralaya on Friday.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Jayant Banthia,additional chief secretary (home) Amitabh Rajan and secretaries of various government departments.

“The proposals for open enquiry will be taken up later,” said Raj Khilnani,ACB director general.

Banthia,however,said the work of clearing pending ACB proposals had been going on for months. “It is not a sudden decision.”

About open enquiries,he said,“The various departments have been asked to make stands clear on the proposals.”

A total of 73 ACB proposals seeking sanction for prosecution have been pending with the government since 2008. Seventeen of the proposals seek prosecution of revenue officers.

On July 26,2002,ACB sought permission to probe bureaucrats Ashok Lal and M B Appalwar,then posted with Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority. However,there has been no response from the government.

ACB has also sought permission for enquiries against medical education minister Vijay Kumar Gavit of NCP,Congress MLA Ram Prasad Bordikar,Haffkine Biopharma MD Prakash Sabde,MIG Club (Bandra) trustees,former Nashik municipal commissioner Bhaskar Sanap,former Akola municipal commissioner Laxmikant Deshmukh and officials involved in allotment of land to Nyaysagar Cooperative Housing Society in Bandra East,which is reserved for judges.