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Only 19% cases chargesheeted by ACB in 2025: Data
A clerk from the Maharashtra FDA was arrested for bribery in Mantralaya, highlighting ongoing corruption issues amid slow ACB case progression.
PUNE: The arrest of a clerk attached to the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration inside Mantralaya has once again brought to the fore the corruption within the state administration, even as official data shows that less than one-fifth of the cases registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in 2025 have so far reached chargesheet stage.
The clerk was caught red-handed by the ACB on Friday while accepting a bribe of ₹35,000, officials said. During the operation, ACB officers also recovered ₹42,000 in cash from a drawer in the accused’s office, far exceeding the ₹10,000 limit for individuals inside the state secretariat premises. Officials said that the recovery of excess cash has raised additional suspicion and a separate inquiry is underway to ascertain its source.
The accused has been booked under relevant provisions of anti-corruption laws, and investigators are examining whether the bribe demand was linked to any pending official work. The arrest, carried out within the heavily secured Mantralaya premises, has been described by officials as a significant operation, underscoring the bureau’s continued focus on corruption within government departments.
Following the incident, the ACB said that it has intensified its vigilance and enforcement measures across Maharashtra. However, data released by the bureau indicates that while registrations remain high, the conversion of cases into chargesheets continues to be low.
According to official figures, the ACB registered 682 corruption cases across the state in 2025. Of these, chargesheets have been filed in only 129 cases, translating to 18.91%. The remaining cases are at various stages of investigation and approval, raising concerns among legal experts and anti-corruption activists about delays in prosecution.
An ACB official, on condition of anonymity, said that out of the total cases registered, 446 are still under investigation while 85 are awaiting prosecution sanction from the competent authorities. “The process involves detailed scrutiny of financial records, verification of evidence and mandatory sanctions, which often takes time,” the official said.
Region-wise data shows that Nashik recorded the highest number of corruption cases this year with 138 registrations, followed closely by Pune at 124. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar reported 109 cases, Thane 83, Amravati 73, Nanded 59, Nagpur 54 and Mumbai 42.
ACB officials maintain that corruption probes are inherently complex and time-consuming but stress that efforts are being made to expedite investigations and secure sanctions at the earliest. The latest arrest at Mantralaya, they said, serves as a reminder that enforcement continues, even as questions persist over the pace at which cases move from registration to chargesheeting and eventual trial.
