BENGALURU: A special court sentenced Krishnappa, the then bill collector of Chikkajala Gram Panchayat, to undergo three years of rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 50.20 lakh for possessing disproportionate assets (DA).
Judge KM Radhakrishna passed the order sentencing Krishnappa, after charges of possessing DA to the tune of Rs 63.66 lakh, in a case registered a decade ago by the Lokayukta police, were proved.
“The conduct of the accused being a public servant in illegally accumulating the assets disproportionate to his known source of income truly demands stringent punishment.
So that, it could be a message to the public servants of this nature involving in corrupt activities. Hence, no question of extending the leniency would arise,” the judge said.
Noting that the prosecution was successful in establishing that the accused being a public servant acquired DA during the check period from 1993 to 2014 beyond reasonable doubt, the court said the accused has failed to give satisfactory accounts to accept his defence that he is innocent.