HAL official gets four years jail for bribery

A court here on Friday convicted a former official of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and his accomplice in a corruption case and sentenced them to four years jail, the CBI said.

In a statement issued here, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said a court convicted Avatar Krishan Zutshi, who was director (finance) and N.P.Manikandan for four years rigorous imprisonment.

According to CBI, Manikandan, a general manager in PCS Industries Ltd, offered a bribe to CBI's junior technical officer C.Gowri Shankar for a favourable report on Zutshi.

Shankar complained to the CBI and a trap was decided to be laid to catch Manikandan and Zutshi.

At a meeting in a star hotel with Shankar here, Zutshi and his son Naveen Zutshi discussed about the report to be given. Manikandan was also there with Rs.50,000 cash.

The three were then arrested and a case was registered.

While Naveen Zutshi was acquitted, the other two were convicted and sentenced and a fine of Rs.50,000 was also slapped on each.