Chandigarh: Seeking ₹10,000 bribe lands sub-inspector in jail for 4 years

Observing that corruption by public servants had reached a monstrous dimension in India and its tentacles have started grappling even institutions created for protection of the republic, a special CBI court has sentenced a Chandigarh Police sub-inspector (SI) to four-year rigorous imprisonment for seeking ₹10,000 as bribe in 2015.

The court convicted SI Sushil Kumar under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and also imposed a fine of ₹20,000 upon him.

“Unless those tentacles are intercepted and impeded from gripping the normal and orderly functioning of the public offices, through strong legislative, executive as well as judicial exercises, the corrupt public servants could even paralyse the functioning of such institutions and thereby hinder the democratic polity,” the court said.

It observed that the convict deserved a punishment that would act as a deterrent to the other persons in the society, so that they would think twice before committing such an offence.

Then posted with the crime branch of UT police, sub-inspector (SI) Sushil Kumar was arrested from the District Court Complex in Sector 43 on June 3, 2015.

CBI had laid a trap outside a toilet at the court complex on the complaint of Gursewak of Shampura village, Rupnagar.

Gursewak had alleged that the SI sought the bribe from him for helping his brother Baljit Chaudhary secure bail in an Arms Act case registered at the Sector 36 police station.

Chaudhary, who was the chairman of PUSU, a home-bred student party at Panjab University, was arrested with .32-bore US-made gun without a legal licence in April 2014.

He was initially released on bail after a few weeks, but he didn’t appear during subsequent court hearings, following which his bail was cancelled. He was again arrested by Mohali police on February 15, 2015, and was lodged in the Rupnagar jail.

Gursewak had alleged that the SI sought money to help Chaudhary secure bail and not register new cases against him.

Pleading leniency before the court, the convict stated he had impeccable record of service except the present case. His elderly mother was hospitalised and required someone to look after her.

However, Narender Singh, the public prosecutor for CBI argued that the convict who was in the police service, was supposed to be the custodian of criminal justice system, but he had rather played with the system. He sought an exemplary punishment, which would deter other persons to indulge in such like offences.

The court observed, “The convict was serving in the police force and had responsibility towards the society and meant to be the custodian of criminal justice system. Instead of being faithful towards his duties, the convict was trying to misuse the powers vested in him and trying to create an impression that he could manipulate things. He was also trying to befool the system.”

“It is a sad but a bitter reality that corruption is corroding, like cancerous lymph nodes, the vital veins of the body politics, social fabric of efficiency in the public service and demoralising the honest officers,” the court said.