ASI, 2 constables get 3 years in jail for taking Rs 6,000 bribe

The court of Bharat Jadav, special judge for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases, pronounced the trio guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act’s Sections 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) , 12 (abetment of offences defined in Section 7), 13(1)(d) (criminal misconduct by a public servant by obtaining for himself or for any other person any valuable thing or any pecuniary gains by corrupt or illegal means) and 13(2)(punishment criminal misconduct by public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

However, the ACB court also granted their plea seeking suspension of the sentence for a month to allow them time to appeal against the guilty verdict.

According to the prosecution’s case, the three policemen were escorting Mahendrasinh Zala, who was lodged in a Surat jail after being detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act, to produce him before a Rajkot court.

Zala’s partner Dave tried to meet the detainee when the latter was brought to the Rajkot railway station by the three policemen on November 18, 2012. However, Vasava demanded a Rs 10,000 bribe to allow the meeting. After negotiations, Vasava agreed to let Dave meet the prisoner on November 19, 2012 for a bribe of Rs 6,000.

However, Dave filed a complaint with the Rajkot ACB. A team laid a trap and detained Vasava and the two constables as soon as the ASI accepted Rs 6,000 cash from Dave. According to prosecution, Vasava accepted Rs 3,000 bribe for himself and Rs 1,500 each on behalf of the two constables.

“The accused sought to defend themselves by claiming that Dave had thrust the currency notes worth Rs 6,000 in Vasava’s hands and that they had not demanded a bribe. However, we countered their claim, saying no one gives such a significant amount of cash to anyone without demand and that Vasava had already put the cash in the pocket of his trousers,” Sanjay Vora, district government pleader of Rajkot who argued the prosecution’s case, said.

Vora said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt by pointing to the fact that traces of phenolphthalein powder ACB officers had applied on wades of currency notes for trapping the accused were found in the right pocket of Vasava’s trousers.

Currently, Vasava, Gamit and Chaudhary are serving in the Rajkot Rural police, Patan district police and Junagadh district police respectively.