MADURAI: Acquitting two Sivagangai Regional Transport Officer (RTO) officials, who were convicted for demanding bribe from an autorickshaw owner for releasing his vehicle in 2008, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recommended the trial court to initiate action against the complainant for turning hostile and disowning a part of his complaint during the trial.
Justice GR Swaminathan, who heard the appeals filed by the officials - RTO officer Mani and Junior Assistant Veerasamy — observed that the demand of bribe was not proved in the case. “Mere recovery by itself would not prove the charge (of bribery). The proof of demand (of a bribe) is indispensable essentiality,” he said. He further pointed out that the complainant himself had turned hostile and disowned a substantial part of his complaint during the trial.
Suspecting that the entire complaint might be a plan hatched by the complainant to get back his autorickshaw, the judge recommended the trial court to take follow-up action against the complainant, with further directions to the Registry to monitor the same. In July 2008, M Abbas complained to Vigilance and Anti-Corruption that despite payment of fine, the officials demanded Rs 800 to release his autorickshaw that was reportedly seized as the driver failed to produce a driving license.