Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 4: The Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Jammu, has framed charges against a Patwari and his alleged associate in a corruption case involving alleged demand and acceptance of Rs 4,000 as bribe for providing a copy of mutation of land.
Special Judge Anti-Corruption Sonia Gupta framed charges under Sections 7/12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 120-B IPC against Monish Dev Singh, then Patwari Halqa Thather, Tehsil South Jammu, and Asif Chowdhary, resident of Kamal Nagar, Keran Bantalab, Jammu.
The case pertains to FIR No. 14/2021 registered at Police Station ACB, Jammu, on the complaint of Om Parkash Gupta, resident of Durga Nagar, Bantalab, Jammu.
According to the prosecution, the complainant had approached the Patwari for attestation and copy of mutation relating to his land situated at Pooja Colony, Thather, Bantalab. It was alleged that the Patwari demanded Rs 4,000 as illegal gratification for providing the mutation copy.
Following verification of the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau laid a trap. The prosecution alleged that during the trap proceedings, Asif Chowdhary, stated to be associated with the Patwari, accepted the bribe money from the complainant on the directions of Monish Dev Singh. The tainted amount of Rs 4,000 was allegedly recovered from Asif Chowdhary in the presence of independent witnesses.
During arguments on charge, Additional Public Prosecutor Jitender Kumar Anand, appearing for the ACB, submitted that the chargesheet, statements of witnesses recorded during investigation and documentary evidence disclosed a prima facie case against both accused. He argued that there was sufficient material to presume their involvement in the alleged offences and sought framing of charges.
The accused, however, denied the allegations and sought discharge from the case, contending that they had been falsely implicated and that the prosecution material was insufficient to proceed against them.
The court observed that at the stage of framing charge, it was not required to conduct a detailed appreciation of evidence or hold a mini-trial. It noted that strong suspicion founded on the material on record was sufficient to frame charges and put the accused to trial.
Referring to the complainant’s statement, the shadow witness account, the alleged recovery of tainted currency notes and other material collected during investigation, the court held that a prima facie case was made out against both accused.
Accordingly, charges under Sections 7/12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act read with Section 120-B IPC were framed against Monish Dev Singh and Asif Chowdhary. Both accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
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