Mumbai: A Right to Information (RTI) query filed by activist Jeetendra Ghadge has exposed a worrying lapse in Maharashtra’s anti-corruption framework, revealing that sanctions for 374 investigations under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act remain pending with the state government. This delay has effectively paralyzed numerous inquiries into alleged misconduct across various departments.
Notably, 371 out of the 374 pending sanctions have been stalled for over 120 days. Under the amended Prevention of Corruption Act (2018), the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) must obtain prior approval even to initiate preliminary investigations against public servants—a measure originally intended to shield honest officials but now criticized as a tool for protecting the corrupt.
“The ACB was designed to tackle corruption, yet these numbers reflect a complete erosion of its effectiveness,” said RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge. “With hundreds of sanctions languishing for months, the credibility of anti-corruption initiatives is at serious risk.”
A department-wise breakdown shows the Urban Development Department leading with 88 pending cases, followed by the Revenue Department with 60, and the Rural Development Department with 52 cases awaiting clearance.
Adding to concerns, the ACB has declined to reveal how many sanction requests have been outrightly denied by government departments, further clouding the transparency of the process. Without the necessary sanction under Section 17A, the ACB cannot legally proceed with investigations unless fresh evidence emerges or a court order intervenes. Attempts to contact ACB Additional Director General (ADG) Niket Kaushik for a reaction were unsuccessful.
