Tue Mar 25 16:12:58 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka High Court Reinstates Cases Against BBMP Officials in Multi-Crore Misappropriation Scandal

**Bengaluru, March 25, 2025** – The Karnataka High Court has overturned a special court’s decision to discharge approximately 450 current and former Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials and private contractors in a multi-crore misappropriation case. The original ruling, issued in November 2023, dismissed 115 criminal cases related to alleged embezzlement of ₹31 crore during civil works between 2005-06 and 2011-12.

The special court had based its decision on the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) alleged failure to produce the original report from the BBMP’s Technical Vigilance Committee Cell (TVCC), the initial source of the complaints. However, Justice H.P. Sandesh ruled that the special court lacked the authority to discharge the accused *suo motu* (on its own initiative), especially after already rejecting their discharge applications and, in some cases, having commenced trials.

The High Court clarified that the TVCC report was merely the origin of the investigation, and the trial could proceed using secondary evidence and materials provided by the CID. The court ordered the reinstatement of the criminal proceedings, instructing the trial court to consider subsequent government sanctions for prosecuting certain officials and resume proceedings from the point of taking cognizance. However, the High Court specified that cases where the government denied sanction would be discontinued. The ruling effectively reopens the investigation into the alleged misappropriation involving approximately 730 accused individuals.

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