India, April 5 -- The Bombay High Court has quashed the 2019 decision of the then Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner refusing approval for an open inquiry into alleged disproportionate assets worth Rs.2,000 crore held by former city engineer Prashant Waghmare.

Setting aside the refusal, the court held that the competent authority had exceeded its jurisdiction by assessing the merits of the case at a preliminary stage, thereby foreclosing the investigation sought by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The bench clarified that protection under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be invoked to stall an inquiry into allegations of disproportionate assets. It also ruled that administrative authorities cannot condu...