New Delhi/Jaipur, January 22:
In a landmark judgment that significantly strengthens the fight against corruption, the Supreme Court of India has ruled that state police and Anti-Corruption Bureaus (ACBs) are fully empowered to investigate and prosecute central government employees under corruption laws—without seeking prior approval from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The ruling puts to rest a long-standing belief that only the CBI has jurisdiction over corruption cases involving central government officials.
State Agencies Have Full Authority: SC
A bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma categorically held that under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act), state investigating agencies are not barred from acting against central government employees.
The court clarified that no provision of law requires state police or ACBs to obtain prior consent from the CBI before initiating investigation or filing a chargesheet in corruption-related cases involving central officials.
“The law does not prohibit state agencies from probing corruption merely because the accused is a central government employee,” the bench observed.
Case Originated in Rajasthan
The judgment stems from a legal challenge originating in Rajasthan, where a central government employee accused of corruption had approached the High Court, claiming that the state ACB lacked jurisdiction to investigate him. The Rajasthan High Court rejected this plea, a decision that has now been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The apex court stated that Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act does not restrict state agencies from investigating central government officials.
CBI Role Is Administrative Convenience, Not Legal Mandate
The Supreme Court further clarified that assigning corruption cases of central government undertakings to the CBI is a matter of administrative convenience, aimed at avoiding duplication of efforts, and not a statutory compulsion.
“Merely because the CBI is a specialised agency does not mean that state police must turn a blind eye to corruption,” the court remarked, sending a strong message to officials who have long relied on jurisdictional loopholes to evade action.
Strong Message Against Corruption
Legal experts believe the ruling will have far-reaching consequences across the country, empowering state agencies and tightening the noose around corrupt officials irrespective of whether they serve the Centre or the state.
The verdict is being seen as a decisive step towards accountability and cooperative federalism, ensuring that corruption is tackled uniformly and decisively—without procedural shields or jurisdictional ambiguities.
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