New Delhi: A Rs 20 bribery allegation that began in Gujarat in 1996 has ended nearly three decades later, with the Supreme Court acquitting two government employees after finding that the alleged demand for money had not been proved.
Court Acquits Government Employees Due to Legal Technicality
The top court has overturned the convictions of two government employees, citing a significant legal error in their prosecution. The court determined that the sanction required to prosecute the clerk had been issued by an officer lacking the necessary authority. As a result, both the trial court’s and the Gujarat High Court’s judgments were set aside, leading to the acquittal of the accused individuals.
Why SC questioned prosecution case
The student had given a different version in another proceeding, claiming that the accused had initially demanded Rs 200 before agreeing to settle the amount at Rs 120. The court also took into account that the ACB had instructed the student to hand over the entire Rs 120 if the accused demanded it. But he gave only Rs 20 to the peon. The apex court examined the presumption under Section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and held that it could not come to the prosecution’s aid when the initial demand had not been established. The case, which began with a student’s complaint over an alleged Rs 120 demand and the recovery of Rs 20, has thus ended after almost 30 years in court.
However, that version did not form part of his testimony before the trial court.
