The Delhi High Court has affirmed the conviction of a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector in a 30-year-old bribery case. The court upheld the prosecution’s evidence of the demand and acceptance of illegal gratification. Sub-Inspector Manoj Kumar was found guilty under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case stemmed from a 1995 complaint alleging that the Sub-Inspector demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to avoid adverse action in a criminal case. The CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch conducted a trap at Tis Hazari Courts, recovering Rs 4,000 from a head constable acting on the Sub-Inspector’s instructions. The High Court dismissed the defense’s argument regarding the demand not being proven due to witness non-examination.
Justice Sudha emphasized the consistency and credibility of the complainant’s testimony. The court rejected objections over the non-examination of certain witnesses, stating that evidence quality matters more than quantity. Despite challenges to the admissibility of audio recordings, the court found sufficient independent evidence supporting the conviction.
Concluding that the prosecution had proven the demand and acceptance of the bribe, the court invoked statutory presumption under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Justice Sudha affirmed the conviction and sentence, stating no reason to doubt the prosecution’s case.
