SC Convicts 74 years old retired public Servant for Corruption

A Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice R. Banumathi, in a judgment pronounced on May 15, confirmed the conviction of a seventy four years old public servant under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Keeping in view the age of the public servant and the fact that the incident had taken place 19 years ago, the Court reduced the sentence of rigorous imprisonment of four years to one year.

The Court was hearing an appeal filed by Mr. K.L. Bakolia against a Delhi High Court judgment through which the Court had confirmed the appellant’s conviction under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The Complaint was filed by Mr. Shamsher Singh. He alleged that when Mr. K.L. Bakolia was contacted by the complainant for renewal of contract for providing security staff to Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Bakolia demanded a bribe of Rs. 50, 000. Singh then contacted the CBI and an FIR was registered on the basis of Singh’s complaint.

A set up was created to trap Bakolia red handed and it succeeded. He was subsequently convicted by the Special Judge under Section  7  and  Section  13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d)  of  the  Act  and  sentenced  the  appellant  to undergo rigorous imprisonment  for a period  of four  years  on  each  count with a  fine of  Rs.500/-  each  with  default  clause.

Aggrieved by the conviction, the appellant then filed an appeal before the Delhi High Court which confirmed the conviction. The appellant then approached the Supreme Court.

Read the Judgment here.