Observing that matters relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act are being conducted most casually, the Allahabad High Court has directed the principal secretary (home) and the DGP of Uttar Pradesh to look into them and issue necessary directions.
The above direction was passed by Justice Samir Jain allowing a bail application of one Suresh Prakash Gautam, against whom an FIR was lodged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in Saharanpur district. After going through the record, the court found that according to the allegations, Gautam was posted as a labour enforcement officer. He demanded a bribe from the complainant to settle his claim.
Gautam was apprehended red-handed by the trap team and the bribe money was recovered from his possession. About Rs 21.50 lakh were also recovered from his house.
The court said, “But it reflects that neither the hands of the applicant nor of the complainant were washed at the spot where the trap was made,” adding that the alleged recovered bribe money was not sealed at the spot.
The court said the record also suggests that the recovery memo of the alleged bribe has also not been prepared on the spot and it appears that all these proceedings have been conducted at the police station. “Considering these facts, the argument advanced by the counsel for the applicant that the trap proceeding appears to be doubtful cannot be completely brushed aside at this stage,” the court added.
