Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 25: Additional Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar R N Watal has awarded one year simple imprisonment to the then Patwari, who was nabbed by the Vigilance Organization while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5000.
As per the Vigilance case, Shafat-ul-Rehman, the then Patwari Halqa Aarth Budgam was apprehended while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5000 from the complainant Farooq Ahmad Dar in May 28, 2009.
The accused official had demanded bribe for preparation of challan for depositing levy for the land, which the complainant’s father had exchanged with one Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din. Accordingly, he was booked under different sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and RPC.
After hearing Senior Prosecuting Officer Riyaz Ahmad for the State and Advocates Qazi Mansoor and Qazi Azhar for the accused official, the Additional Special Judge Anti-Corruption Srinagar R N Wattal observed, “corruption is termed as plague which is so contagious that once it enters the system, it engulfs the system. It destroys the societal will to progress, accelerates undeserved ambitions, kills the conscience, jettisons the glory of the institutions, paralyzes the economic health of the country, corrodes the sense of civility and mars the marrows of governance”.
“The prosecution has succeeded in proving its charge that accused abused his position as public servant by demanding and then accepting the tainted money as illegal gratification from the complainant for favouring him for depositing the levy in respect of exchanged land”, the court said, adding “thus, all ingredients of offences for which accused was charged are squarely met. He is, therefore, convicted for the commission of offence as defined under Prevention of Corruption Act”.
“As regards punishment, the convict appears to be in fifties and his family comprises of wife and children who are all studying in educational institutions, There is no material to suggest his involvement in any criminal activity in the past. The convict has the responsibility of not only maintaining his family members but also to educate his children who are bound to be affected adversely by his absence for none of their faults”, the court further observed.
“In view of all these factors, the convict is sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for one year for offence punishable under Section 5(1) read with Section 5 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act and also to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. He shall further undergo six months imprisonment for offence punishable under Section 161 RPC and fine of Rs.3000. Both the sentences shall run concurrently”, the court said.
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