Sub-divisional officer acquitted in bribery case

Aurangabad, Aug 20:

Aurangabad division bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Vibha Kankanwadi recently acquitted the sub-divisional officer Shobha Raut of charges of demanding bribe. The prosecution could not prove the charges that Raut had demanded money from a farmer for distributing the cheque of compensation for the crop losses.

The bench observed that the charges could not be proved if the demand was not proved and powder-coated currency notes were seized from the concerned person.

The prosecution failed to prove that Raut had demanded 5 per cent of the amount of the compensation given to the complainant from Kaudgaon in Osmanabad district. It only showed in the records that Rs 38,200 currency notes, coated with powder were found in her purse.

The special court of bribery cases in Osmanabad sentenced Raut to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed Rs 25,000 fine. Hence, Raut appealed against the decision in the division bench. Adv Nasim R Shaikh appeared for the petitioner.