In Brief
Three consolidated civil appeals challenged the Jammu and Kashmir High Court's decision that quashed corruption proceedings against state officials on the ground that they were not caught red-handed accepting bribes. The Supreme Court held that the incorrect premise that an official must be caught accepting a bribe was fundamental error. The Court stressed that corruption charges can rest on acts of commission or omission causing wrongful loss to the State and public interest damage, which must also be examined under Article 226(2) Clause (iv) of the Civil Services Regulations. The appeals were allowed.
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