BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has confirmed the order passed by a trial court sentencing a Commercial Tax Officer in Dharwad to undergo simple imprisonment for 4 years with a fine in a corruption case. Justice V Srishananda of the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court granted time till March 15 to the accused, Padmanabha, to surrender before the trial court to serve the remaining part of the sentence.
Padmanabha had filed a criminal appeal seeking setting aside of the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated April 6, 2015, passed by a Special Judge, Vijayapura, for offences punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Dismissing the appeal, the judge observed that the Commercial Tax Office is considered to be a hub of corruption. In 2008, the Lokayukta police trapped Padmanabha while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a complainant of Seetha Vihar in Chattsgad at the Dhulkhed check-post, to allow a lorry to transport factory equipments.