Kollam court sentences former deputy tahsildar to eight years in bribery case
A former deputy tahsildar was sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh by a Kollam court for accepting bribes to facilitate illegal quarrying and release seized equipment.
A former deputy tahsildar was sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh by a Kollam court for accepting bribes to facilitate illegal quarrying and release seized equipment.
A former deputy tahsildar was sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh by a Kollam court for accepting bribes to facilitate illegal quarrying and release seized equipment.
Kollam: A former deputy tahsildar at the Kunnathur taluk office has been sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh by the Kollam Vigilance Court in a bribery case dating back to 2014.
The court found Babu (63), a native of Karunagappally, guilty of accepting bribes from a complainant from Mynagappally in exchange for facilitating unauthorised laterite stone quarrying and securing the release of a seized stone-cutting machine.
Babu initially accepted ₹3,000 to allow the complainant to cut laterite stones illegally. After the complainant failed to pay a subsequent instalment, Babu seized the stone-cutting machine while it was being used on land belonging to the complainant’s friend’s wife in Mynagappally. The machine was taken to the taluk office without following the prescribed legal procedures.
He later demanded and accepted ₹2,000 to submit a report to the Mining and Geology Department recommending the machine’s release. After the complainant paid a fine to the department, Babu accepted a further ₹5,000 to release the equipment. The Kollam Vigilance Unit caught him red-handed while accepting the final payment.
The court sentenced him to three years of imprisonment and fined him ₹50,000 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Under Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2), he was awarded five years of rigorous imprisonment and an additional fine of ₹50,000.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Dr Mohit C S. Public prosecutors P S Divya and Siju Rajan appeared for the prosecution.
The case was initially registered by former Deputy Superintendent of Police Rex Bobby Aravin. DSP R Jayashankar continued the investigation, which was completed by DSP K Ashok Kumar, who filed the chargesheet.