Government officials, named in the ACB reports for having taken bribes from the liquor syndicates, are likely to avoid facing the axe for their corruption.

One is forced to come to the conclusion going by the denial of permission to the ACB by the government in the last 8 years for the prosecution of corrupt officials against whom substantial evidence for their prosecution was available.

Since 2003, the ACB sought prosecution of nearly 1800 officials in corruption cases, disproportionate assets cases and misconduct cases but the government denied permission in about 99 per cent of the cases referred by the ACB and the vigilance commissioner.

In most of the cases, the government either asked the ACB to drop action or preferred to have departmental inquiry against them.

Latest reports indicate 460 cases are pending for further action in revenue department, 160 cases in Health, Medical and Family Welfare department, 160 cases in Municipal Administration and Urban Development, 150 cases in Transport, Roads & Buildings, 145 cases in the home department and 130 cases in the Panchayat Raj department.

The ACB may have raided liquor syndicates and caught several Babus red-handed with concrete evidence but the list of the corrupt officials will only add to the already pending cases in various departments. Ultimately, all the corrupt officials will go scot-free. (JUBS)