ACB records 55.5% conviction rate in eight months, says outgoing DG

Deepika Pasham
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which has been actively conducting raids and catching officers asking for bribes over the last eight months, reported that 10 per cent of the cases booked in 2024 had a 55.5 per cent conviction rate, including 10 convictions and eight acquittals.
Of approximately 1,450 complaints, 10 per cent (145 cases) led to booked cases. Comparing data from the last three years, 98 cases were booked in 2021, 116 in 2022, 92 in 2023, and 145 in 2024 until August 31.  The highest number of cases registered was in the Revenue Department (30), which includes Land Revenue, Commercial Taxes, Survey, Prohibition and Excise, Endowments, followed by the Home Department (21) and Municipal Administration and Urban Development (18). The Transport, Roads, and Buildings Department saw 15 cases.
 Zero cases were registered in the Finance Department, while single-digit numbers were recorded in the Environment, Forest, Science, and Technology; Education; Housing; Industries and Commerce; Irrigation; Labour; and Employment departments with just one case each.
“All officers during our Superintendent of Police days were fearful of it, but when I took charge of the ACB, it was almost dying. My observation is that I have sent a proposal worth seven to eight crores, including staffing 550 officers, as we currently have 280, and also for vehicles. The current vehicles were given in 2015, and we need replacements. If my proposal is accepted, the staff will be supported, and the wing can function promptly,” said outgoing Director General of ACB CV Anand, who has been transferred and posted as Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City Police.
 The fear of the ACB is seen and often the accused are also heard asking the complainant if they are recording video to raise concern with the ACB. Recently, the wing has stopped including complainant names because one of them has received a threat, he added.
The data shows that 109 officers were arrested, including 85 government officers and 24 private individuals.
 The final report sent to the government by the ACB detailed a total of 103 cases and 280 persons until August 31, 2024, which is lower compared to previous years: 123 cases involving 354 persons in 2023, 145 cases involving 404 persons in 2022 and 119 cases involving 328 persons in 2021.
Government departments have given prosecution sanction orders for 72 cases, covering 86 persons.
Top cop Anand explained that the conviction rate is expected to reach 70% by the end of the year, surpassing the last two years: 69.23% in 2023 and 50% in 2022.