MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while setting aside a trial court’s acquittal order of two persons, including a nationalised bank manager, in a bribery case, observed that the authorities find ways to indulge in corruption while discharging their duty, either by acting contrary to the guidelines or deviating from the guidelines.
Justice KK Ramakrishnan flagged white-collar crimes (non-violent crimes) committed by persons enjoying high social status, and government professionals, with cool calculations and a deliberate design.
All loopholes become an incentive for the offenders to fearlessly commit such crimes because the punishment is also short term, unlike those of blue-collar crimes.
The judge made the remarks while hearing an appeal filed by the CBI in Madurai, seeking to set aside the acquittal of two bank employees — Senior Manager V Samueal Jebaraj of Canara Bank in Nazareth of Thoothukudi and P Narayanan, a part-time employee in the branch — in a bribery case. The acquittal was ordered by the II Additional District Judge for CBI Cases in Madurai.
According to the facts of the case, a student sought approval for an educational loan in October 2010. The loan of Rs 62,500 was sanctioned, but Narayanan demanded Rs 8,000 as bribe on behalf of Jebaraj in January 2011.
Based on an alert, the CBI set a trap and caught the duo red handed. However, the trial court had acquitted the duo.
Justice Ramakrishnan said the trial judge magnified every minute irrelevant fact and made a mountain out of a molehill and acquitted them.
He also directed Rs 1.5 lakh compensation to the parents and the student. It may be noted that Senior Manager Jebaraj had died during the pendency of the appeal.