MCD official sentenced to 3 yrs in jail in graft case

Special Judge Dharmesh Sharma sentenced MCD Assistant Zonal Inspector Ravinder Kumar Sehrawat of civic body's House Tax Department to three years in jail, while sentencing his 39-year-old tout Ram Singh Rawat, who used to extract money from the public on his behalf, to a year in jail.

The court sentenced the duo saying they had devised an "ingenuous ploy" to extract illegal gratification from vulnerable sections of the society.

"This court is not oblivious of such practises prevailing in several government departments where private individuals are working and performing official duties for one or the other public servant.

"The public interest demands that such tendencies must be curbed with an iron hand," the judge said adding "when the duties are assigned to a public servant, such duties must be performed by as per the code of conduct and etiquettes provided under the service jurisprudence."

After imposing the jail term, the court, however, put off their sentences and granted them bail to enable them go in appeal against their conviction and sentencing.

The prosecution case dated back to June 10, 2003, when Saket resident Alok Gupta lodged a compliant with the CBI that Rawat, acting in collusion with Sehrawat, had demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 for a 'No Objection Certificate' to allow him reconstruct his house.

On Gupta's complaint, the CBI laid a trap and arrested Rawat red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000.

The court rejected the defence counsel's contention that both the accused were falsely implicated in the case.