UMED KUMAR Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of the present criminal miscellaneous petition filed under Sec. 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), the petitioner has prayed for quashing of FIR No. 0034/2025 registered at Police Station ACB, Churu/CPS Jaipur for the offence under Sec. 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as "the P.C. Act").

(2.) Brief facts of the case as pleaded in the criminal miscellaneous petition are that the son of the complainant, namely Rakesh, was pursuing his B.Ed. course from Lords International T.T. College, Shadulpur, District Churu. The complainants son allegedly did not have adequate attendance to appear in the first-year B.Ed. examinations (Practical and Internship). It is alleged that the Principal of Lords International T.T. College demanded illegal gratification in the form of a "donation" to "manage" the examination form and fulfill other related requirements for enabling the complainants son to appear in the examination. In these circumstances, the complainant approached officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and submitted an audio recording of the conversation between him and the Principal confirming the demand.

(3.) The ACB officials verified the complaint, prepared a trap, and provided currency notes amounting to Rs.20,000.00 treated with phenolphthalein powder to the complainant. As per the trap plan, on 14/2/2025, the complainant met the petitioner, who was working as a Clerk at Lords International T.T. College, Shadulpur, and handed over the said Rs.20,000.00 of bribe money which the petitioner accepted. Immediately upon receiving the signal from the complainant, the ACB officials reached on the spot and apprehended the petitioner. When the petitioners hands were dipped in the solution, it turned pink, indicating contact with the phenolphthalein-smeared notes. The currency notes totaling Rs.20,000.00 were recovered from the back-side left pocket of his jeans. The trap proceedings were video graphed, relevant documents were seized, and a case under Sec. 7 of the P.C. Act was registered against the petitioner.