Demanded Rs. 300 As Bribe Two Decades Ago: SC Upholds 1 Year Jail Term For Ex-Revenue Dept. Official [Read Order]

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a former Patwari, an official Revenue Department of State of Punjab, who was convicted for demanding a bribe of Rs. 300/-.

In 1999,The Trial Court had convicted Gurdip Singh under Sections 7 and Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced him to suffer rigorous imprisonment for four years and to pay a fine of Rs.1000/- .

He preferred appeal before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He did not challenge the conviction on merit and confined his argument on the point of quantum of sentence. Disposing of the appeal in 2010, the High Court took a lenient view and reduced the period of sentence to one year rigorous imprisonment.

He filed an appeal before the Supreme Court thereafter which was disposed of last year. Allowing his application to restore the appeal last week, the court heard Senior Advocate K.T.S. Tulsi, who appeared on his behalf.

Dismissing the appeal on merits, the bench comprising Justices Uday Umesh Lalit, Mohan M. Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran, noted that the two prosecution witnesses completely established that the demand was made and that the money was found on the person of the accused.

The bench then directed him to surrender within three weeks. 

Case no.: CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 2256 OF 2010

Case name: GURDIP SINGH PATWARI vs. STATE OF PUNJAB 

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