‘Corruption significant barrier in country’s growth’: Court awards 4-year jail to traffic cop for bribe worth Rs 3,000
Assistant Sub Inspector Yatender Kumar, who was posted at Delhi Traffic Police booth, Pul Mithai Chowk, at the time of the incident was convicted on June 4 under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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On May 16, the ACB had lodged an FIR against the clerk under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Special Judge of Rouse Avenue Court was then transferred on May 20.Observing that “corruption is one of the most significant barriers in the growth of the country”, a court here has sentenced a Delhi Traffic Police officer, who is just a year short of his retirement, to four years in prison for taking a bribe of Rs 3,000 from a driver.
“Corruption is one of the most significant barriers in the growth of the country. The PC (prevention of corruption) act was formulated to bring about transparency and honesty in public life and to combat corruption in government departments,” said Special Judge Deepali Sharma of Rouse Avenue Court in her order dated June 6.
Assistant Sub Inspector Yatender Kumar, who was posted at Delhi Traffic Police booth, Pul Mithai Chowk, at the time of the incident was convicted on June 4 under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act for “demanding and obtaining gratification other than legal remuneration” (bribes) from a man in lieu of releasing his impounded vehicle in September 2022.
During arguments on his sentence, his counsel had argued for leniency, citing his age of 59 years. The fact that he was the sole bread earner of his family was also stated as were his “clean antecedents”.
The prosecution, however, said that Kumar’s acts could not be “trivialised”. It was also argued that corruption is a menace to society, which needs to be eradicated “to restore the faith of people in good governance”.
“…the convict has been stated to have clean antecedents and the prosecution has not shown any previous criminal record of the convict. Convict is about 59 years of age and has a wife to support, being sole bread earner of his family. Considering the circumstances in entirety, the convict has been awarded the minimum sentence as provided under Section 7 and Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988,” said Judge Sharma while awarding a four-year jail term to Kumar. The maximum punishment possible under the PC Act is seven years of imprisonment.
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