PARMANAND SONI Vs. STATE OF M P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Feeling aggrieved by the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 13th February, 2003 passed by learned Special Judge, Guna, in Special Case No. 1/2002 convicting Appellant under Sections 7, 13 (1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (in short the Act) and thereby sentencing him to suffer imprisonment as mentioned in the impugned judgment the Appellant has knocked the doors of this Court by preferring this appeal under Section 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

(2.) In brief the case of prosecution is that complainant Arun Kumar Lakda is the husband of Smt. Phoojensiya Kujur who at the relevant point of time was serving on the post of Assistant Teacher in Primary School, Khatkiya. The wife of the complainant obtained three months maternity leave and after availing it, joined her duties on 30th April, 2001. It is the further case of prosecution that maternity leave for the months of February and March was sanctioned and the payment of salary was made by the Appellant after obtaining bribe of Rs. 1,000/-, but the payment of maternity leave for the month of April and after joining the duties, the salary of May and June was not paid by the Appellant who at the relevant point of time was serving on the post of Block Education Officer and was also drawing and disbursing officer. The complainant was insisting the Appellant to make the payment, but bluntly it was told by him that he would make the payment of salary for the months of April, May and June, 2001 only when a bribe of Rs. 500/-would be given to him because for sanctioning the payment of maternity leave, he takes bribe at the rate of Rs. 500/-per month and since Rs. 1,000/-has already been paid, an amount of Rs. 500/-be paid and on its payment only, the order of making payment of the salary for the months of April, May and June would be issued. This conversation took place on Friday 17.8.2001 in the chamber of Block Education Officer at Chachoda. The Appellant further directed complainant that on Monday 20th August, 2001, he would not come in the office and would come only on Tuesday and directed to bring the balance amount of bribe on Tuesday. Since the complainant was not keen enough to give any bribe and wanted to get the Appellant caught red handed, with the consent of his wife, he submitted a complaint to the Superintendent of police, Special Police Establishment, Gwalior. The Superintendent of Police directed Inspector Ramlakhan Singh Bhadauria to register the case.

(3.) On the basis of the report/complaint of the complainant and on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police, Inspector Ramlakhan Singh Bhadauria registered the case at zero number and started the investigation. In order to collect the evidence, the Inspector wrote a letter to Collector, Gwalior, requesting him to depute two Gazetted officers who can be made Panch witnesses. Eventually, the Joint Collector directed Panch witnesses V.K. Bhargava, Assistant Engineer, Water Resources Department, and Dr. Virendra Kumar, Lecturer in Government Ayurvedik Hospital, Gwalior, to remain present at 6 in the morning of 21st August, 2001 in the office of Lokayukta, as a result of which, on this date at 6 a.m. both the Panch witnesses arrived in the said office.