BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has set aside a trial court order discharging an accused who attempted to bribe an Assistant Commissioner by giving a blank cheque in lieu of bribe. The officer was told by the accused that he could present the cheque with whatever amount, provided he passed a favourable order by fabricating documents related to land at Sadahalli village in Devanahalli taluk.
In a letter to the Assistant Commissioner, along with the blank cheque, P Gopalaraju, a resident of Malleswaram, had asked the officer to inform him a fortnight prior to presenting the cheque. However, he had contended before the trial court that he wrote the letter only to intimate the government for a sting operation and check corruption in the Revenue Department.
Allowing the criminal revision petition filed by Lokayukta, Justice K Natarajan said when the accused himself has admitted to sending the letter as well as the cheque, disbelieving the prosecution case is not correct. The judge also set aside the April 16, 2016, order of the trial court discharging the accused.
Lokayukta counsel BS Prasad argued that the Assistant Commissioner had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta police. The investigation revealed that the specimen signature of the accused matched with his signature on the letter and the cheque. The court said the accused admits that he sent the letter to show that he was bribing the department for getting a favourable order.
However, he also sent a copy of the said letter to the Chief Secretary and other department heads to highlight corruption in the Revenue Department. His defence in the discharge application before the trial court cannot be considered, the high court said.