SAJIN DAS Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This application is filed u/s 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking pre-arrest bail.

(2.) The applicant is the accused No.2 in Crime No.5/2022 of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Idukki Unit Police Station. The offences alleged are punishable under Ss. 7(a) and 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

(3.) The prosecution case, in short, is as follows: The defacto complainant approached the Grama Panchayat Secretary (1st accused) to remit the house tax arrears. He informed the defacto complainant that the file related to her house could not be found in the computer records and requested her to produce the plan and an application for numbering the building. She then approached the Panchayat office on 27/7/2022. At that time, the applicant, who was the Overseer was also present along with the 1st accused. The applicant demanded a bribe of Rs.1,000.00 and collected the same from her. It is further alleged that the applicant also collected another sum of Rs.1,500.00 for submitting the plan and connected records before the Panchayat and the Sec. Clerk demanded an amount of Rs.8,000.00 through the applicant. Thereafter, the 2nd respondent arranged a trap and the 1st accused was arrested.