Virus of corruption has engulfed entire fabric of society: Court while sentencing bureaucrat

Puri was accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of accumulating wealth to the tune of over Rs 42 lakh from June 1998 to 2002, when he held several high profile posts in the customs and excise department. His wife was accused of assisting him in parking these assets in bank accounts and procuring forged receipts from a jewellery store to cover up the illegal gains.

While deciding on the sentence, the judge said that he was reminded of Kautilya’s philosophy on sentencing: “whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to people while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. The ruler just with the rod is honoured. When discerned punishment is given, it endows the subject with spiritual good, material well-being and pleasure of the senses.”

The judge said the philosophy is “woven into our statute and into our jurisprudence and it is the duty of the courts to bear this in mind”.

During the hearing, the CBI counsel, Neetu Singh, submitted to the court that the property gained by the couple should be confiscated. Puri’s counsel submitted that there was no evidence of misuse of office and prayed for leniency.

“It cannot be disputed that the virus of corruption has engulfed the entire fabric of our society. It has become a major obstacle in the growth and development of our nation. In a democratic system, when the public offices and public institutions are misused for private advantage, they lose their legitimacy… Courts also need to play a vital role in such efforts by dealing sternly with persons found to have indulged in corrupt practices, so that a strong signal is sent to society at large, which would deter other public servants from indulging in corrupt deals,” the judge said.