In Brief
The appellant, a former Municipal Council president, challenged a notice by the Anti-Corruption Bureau directing him to disclose details of his assets and income during a preliminary enquiry into allegations of accumulating disproportionate assets. The High Court dismissed his petition. The Supreme Court held that preliminary enquiries at the pre-FIR stage are legally permissible in corruption cases to determine whether a cognizable offence exists. The statement given during such enquiry is not confessional and cannot be used in trial. It serves only to clarify the source of assets and income. The enquiry protects both the accused (by potentially avoiding charges) and the public interest (by verifying allegations before registration of FIR). The appeal was dismissed with the clarification that the appellant's statement shall not be treated as confessional.
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