HAZARI MAL AND ORS Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Appellant-Hazari Mal was tried qua commission of offence punishable under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short 'the Act') in FIR No. 50, dated 12.7.1996 registered at Police Station Bholath. The trial Court vide judgment/order dated 14.2.2001 ordered the conviction and sentence of the appellant under Section 7 of the Act. Hence, the present appeal by the appellant.

(2.) During the pendency of the appeal, appellant died and vide order dated 2.3.2012, his wife Puran Devi was allowed to pursue the appeal.

(3.) Learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that in the present case, allegation levelled against the appellant was that he had demanded bribe from Jagar Singh, complainant for sanction of mutation in his favour. However, complainant had not supported the prosecution case during trial. Hence, the appellant was liable to be acquitted of the charges framed against him. Learned counsel has further submitted that, as per PW4 Sukhdev Singh and PW6 Baldev Singh, bribe money was demanded on 25.6.1996, whereas, mutation in question had already been sanctioned vide Exhibit DC on 17.6.1996.