Karnataka Police crack ₹30 lakh gold theft case, one arrested
Chikkaballapur: Police in Karnataka’s Sidlaghatta have cracked a gold theft case involving jewellery stolen from a woman during a bus journey and arrested one accused, officials said on Monday.
A special police team recovered 240 grams of gold ornaments valued at around ₹30 lakh.
According to a report published by NDTV, the victim, a resident of Kapekonahalli village in Hoskote taluk, was returning home after performing a special puja at the Madduramma temple. At around 12:10 pm, she boarded a bus from the Talagavara village bus stop and travelled towards Jangamakote Cross via H Cross.
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While she was alighting from the bus, an unknown woman allegedly pushed her forcefully from behind. Police said that after boarding another bus, the victim opened her bag to take out a water bottle and noticed that the box containing her gold ornaments was missing.
A case was registered at Sidlaghatta Rural Police Station under Crime No. 263/2025 and Section 303(1) (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The value of the stolen jewellery was initially estimated at ₹22 lakh.
Considering the seriousness of the case, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of the Circle Police Inspector. Acting on credible information, the team arrested the accused and recovered 240 grams of gold ornaments, police said, adding that the recovered gold is valued at approximately ₹30 lakh based on current market rates.
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SC delivers split verdict on Section 17A of PC Act mandating sanction to probe govt servants
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the constitutional validity of a 2018 provision of the anti-graft law which mandates prior sanction for initiating a probe against a government servant in a corruption case.
While Justice BV Nagarathna said Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is unconstitutional and needs to be struck down, Justice KV Viswanathan held the provision as constitutional while stressing on the need to protect honest officers.
Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, introduced in July 2018, bars any “enquiry or inquiry or investigation” against a public servant for recommendations made in discharge of official duties without prior approval from the competent authority.
The top court's judgement came on a PIL filed by NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL) against the validity of amended section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Requirement of prior sanction is contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act, forecloses inquiry and protects corrupt, Justice Nagarathna said.
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"Section 17A is unconstitutional and it ought to be struck down. No prior approval is required to be taken... The requirement of prior sanction is contrary to the object of the Act, and it forecloses inquiry and protects the corrupt rather than seeking to protect the honest and those with integrity who really do not require any protection," Justice Nagarathna said.
Justice Viswanathan said striking down section 17A will be akin to throwing the baby out with the bath water and the “cure will be worse than the disease”.
"Section 17A is constitutionally valid subject to the condition that the sanction must be decided by the Lok Pal or the Lokayukta of the State...
"The safeguard of this provision will strengthen the hands of honest officers but also ensure that the corrupt are brought to book. It will guarantee that the administrative machinery attracts the best talent for the service of the nation,"Justice Viswanathan said.
The case will now be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for forming a larger bench to hear the matter for a final decision.
"Having regard to the divergent opinions expressed by us, we direct the Registry to place this matter before the Chief Justice of India for constituting an appropriate bench to consider the issues which arise in this matter afresh," the bench said.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, had argued that the provisions crippled the anti-corruption law as sanctions were not usually forthcoming from the government, which was the ‘competent authority’.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had appeared for the Union government.
