IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 369 of 1999 For Approval and Signature:
HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE Z.K.SAIYED =========================================================
========================================================= RAMDEVSINH MADHUBHA CHUDASAMA - Appellant(s) Versus STATE OF GUJARAT - Opponent(s) ========================================================= Appearance :
MR NAVIN K PAHWA for Appellant(s) : 1,MR NK MAJMUDAR with MR P B KHAMBHOLJA for Appellant(s) : 1, MS JIRGA JHAVERI, APP for Opponent(s) : 1, ========================================================= CORAM : HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE Z.K.SAIYED Date : 28/08/2012 C.A.V.JUDGMENT
1. The appellant – original accused has preferred this appeal under Section 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, against the judgment and order of conviction and sentence dated 31.3.1999 passed by the learned Special Judge, Bhavnagar, in Special (ACB) Case No.7 of 1997, whereby, the learned Special Judge has convicted the appellant – accused for the offences punishable under Sections 7, 13(1) (d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced him to undergo R.I. of 1 (one) year on each count and to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/, in default, to undergo further S.I. for six months. The learned Judge has ordered that substantive sentences are to run concurrently.
2. The brief facts of the prosecution case are as under:
According to the complainant Shri D.S.Mehta, Police Inspector, ACB, Bhavnagar, he received information from the authentic sources that the staff members of Police, Traffic Police and R.T.O. persons under the guise of checking, were stopping the vehicles passing on the highways of Bhavnagar District, especially on Adhelai Chowkdi etc., and were receiving bribe and illegal gratification other than legal remunerations ranging between Rs.10/ to Rs.300/ for not making the cases against the owners and/or drivers of the vehicles passing on the highway. A running trap was arranged on 7.8.1996 and two panchas were called. One Dinkarbhai Parshottambhai Yadav, Jr. Clerk of Jilla Panchayat was also called to work as punter and owner of one vehicle. Thereafter, the raiding party started at 16.35 hours from Bhavnagar, taking with them the Ultra violet lamp, battery etc., in Government vehicle and stopped on Adhelai ChowkadiBavaliya Road. One Tata Sumo Jeep No.MH 17C 776 coming from Bavaliya road was stopped which was driven by one Sharadkumar Bansard of Maharashtra. He was going towards Bhavnagar. He was briefed about the trap and was made sure about there being no anthracene powder marks on the hands of members of raiding party. So also the hands of this driver was seen in UVL light which did not show any powder marks. On conveying his willingness, this driver was asked to introduce the punter as the owner of the said jeep on stopping and demand the amount on road. Panchnama part2 to this effect was prepared which was completed at 17.55 hours. Thereafter, punter and pancha1 took front seat of the said Tata Sumo Jeep, while pancha2 and other raiding party members took rear seat and they started on the road. Other members of the raiding party were following the said Jeep in Government vehicle.
When the said Jeep reached near Adhelai Chowkadi, one person wearing Khakhi uniform stopped the said Tata Sumo waiving a stick in his right hand and asked for the entry amount from the Jeep driver. The Jeep driver, as decided earlier, said that the owner of the Jeep is with him. At that time this policeman called the owner of the jeep, who was the punter. Therefore, punter and pancha1 stepped down from the Jeep and went to that policeman and on demand of entry amount, which was negotiated at Rs.70/ the punter gave the currency notes duly powdered to that policeman which he accepted in presence of pancha No.1. On acceptance of bribe amount by that policeman the punter gave predecided signal to other members of the raiding party. They also rushed to the scene. It was 18.15 hours at that time. The complainant PSI introduced himself and asked the name of that policeman and it was found that he was Ramdevsinh Malubha Chudasama, Unarmed Police Constable, Buckle No.1539 of Velavadar Police Station. Thereafter, the arrest panchnama of the accused Ramdevsinh was prepared and one currency note of denomination of Rs.50/ and one currency note of denomination of Rs.20/ which were in the right hand of the accused were taken as it is by the pancha2. Thereafter, they went in a nearby tent and experiment of UVL was made. On seeking the hands and uniform of accused Ramdevsinh in UVL light, on right hand thumb, fingers and palm, powder marks were found. The accused was searched and Rs.150/ were found from his pant pocket at left as it is. Thereafter, pancha2 was asked to check the currency note of denomination of Rs.50/ and Rs.20/ recovered from the accused in UV light and it did show anthracene powder marks. The numbers of said currency notes were also tallied with the preliminary panchnama and they were the same. The muddamal currency notes were seized from the accused and seizure memo was prepared which was signed by the pancha and complainant the original seizure memo was given to the accused by obtaining his signature on office copy. Thereafter, investigation was carried out and after following the necessary procedure, and on grant of sanction, the chargesheet against the accused came to be submitted before the Court.
3. Thereafter, the charge was framed against the appellant to which the appellant – accused pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
4. In order to bring home the charge levelled against the appellant accused, the prosecution has examined witnesses and also produced documentary evidence on record of the trial Court.
5. After examining the witnesses, further statement of the appellantaccused under Sec.
313 of Cr PC was recorded wherein the appellantaccused has denied the case of the prosecution.
6. After considering the oral as well as documentary evidence and after hearing the parties, learned Special Judge, Bhavnagar, vide impugned judgment and order dated 31.3.1999, held the appellant – accused guilty of the charge levelled against him and convicted and awarded the sentence as stated herein above.
7. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the impugned judgment and order of conviction and sentence passed by the learned Special Judge, Bhavnagar, the present appellant has preferred this appeal.
8. Heard Mr. N.K.Majmudar, learned advocate appearing for Mr.P.B.Khambholja, for the appellant and Ms.Jirga Jhaveri, learned APP for the respondentState.
9. Mr.Majmudar has read the charge and contended that the learned Special Judge has failed to appreciate that there are four stages which are required to be proved through the evidence of the complainant and there should be corroboration to all those stages (i) initial demand (ii) second demand to be made in presence of panch (iii) acceptance and (iv) recovery. He has contended that prosecution has examined the complainant, panchas, trapping officer, Sanctioning Officer as well as Investigating Officer. From the evidence of all these witnesses and documentary evidence which are produced on record the prosecution has failed to prove four ingredients of the prosecution case and learned Judge has wrongly convicted the present appellant in the said offence.
10. Mr.Majmudar has contended that the Investigating Officer Mr.Dilipbhai Shantilal, P.I., A.C.B. had come forward with specific case that the police, traffic police and R.T.O. Personnels are stopping the vehicles and are demanding and receiving the bribe amount of Rs.10 to 300 for not registering the case and for that purpose he himself had arranged the raid. According to the prosecution, this type of raid is termed as 'Running Trap”. Thus, this is a case where there is no specific complaint by a person about the demand of a particular amount for particular purpose. In this type of raid help of persons is solicited to collect the evidence for substantiating the information received.
11. Mr.Majmudar has contended that in decoy trap there is no demand from the accused but the accused is tempted to take or receive the bribe. The law requires that the evidence of such an accomplish witness must be corroborated with material particulars by independent and unimpeachable evidence. After introduction of Section 165(A) of IPC a person who offers bribe is also held guilty of abatement of bribery.
12. Mr.Majmudar has contended that the learned Judge has erred in placing reliance upon the deposition of punter witness Dinkarrai at Ex.18. This witness has admitted in the evidence in para6 of the deposition that the police had demanded the licence and the papers of the car. He has contended that the learned Judge has erred in ignoring the evidence of Sharadkumar Kamlakar Bansode at Ex.29 in which this witness has clearly stated that he had not listened the talk between the appellant and the complainant.
13. Mr.Majmudar has contended that the learned Judge has erred in placing reliance upon the evidence of panch witness. It is submitted that the panch witness was so keen and interested to see that at any cost the appellant is convicted. It is the evidence of this witness that he was instructed by the investigating officer to remain with the bogus complainant and on making any inquiry regarding his presence he should reply in such a way that the accused does not know anything. This is absolutely an addition as the same is not mentioned in the panchnama or in his evidence recorded under Section 162 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
14. Mr.Majmudar has referred to Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and contended that the appellant is a public servant and sanction given by the sanctioning authority is not proved beyond reasonable doubt. It is submitted that the sanction is not proved as per the provisions of law. It is the duty of the prosecution to prove that the valid sanction was obtained. He has contended that when recovery creates some doubt then under Section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, presumption cannot be drawn. The judgment of the learned Judge is against the provisions of law and present appellant is wrongly convicted and therefore, the judgment and order of conviction is required to be quashed and set aside.
15. Mr.Majmudar has contended that the prosecution has suppressed many independent witnesses who were present in the office of the appellant when the complainant approached the appellant. There were seven persons standing in the queue before the complainant. The affidavit of those seven persons were performed and signed by the accused. The statement were not recorded by the Investigating Officer. This fact clearly shows that prosecution has not come with clean hands. This creates doubt and that doubt goes in favour of the appellant.
16. Mr.Majumdar has further read oral evidence of the P.W. No.6 Jagmalbhai G. Chavda, ACB Police Station, Amreli who is examined at Ex.45 and contended that from the cross examination of this witness he has admitted that place of offence is 10 kilometers from Velavadar Police Station. For coming to Bhavnagar, one has to come from Adhelai chokdi. Bhavnagar is 40 to 45 kilometers from Adhelai chokdi. He has read Section 313 statement of the appellant and contended that probable defence is required to be considered. From Ex.47 document it prima facie appears that appellant was not present and he is wrongly booked by the Trapping Officer.
17. On the other hand, learned APP Jirga Jhaveri has supported the judgment and order of the Special Court and contended that the trial Court has fully appreciated the evidence produced on record by the prosecution and, therefore, no interference is called for by this Court. She has read charge and contended that the demand made by the appellant is proved beyond reasonable doubt. She has also read panchnama and contended that contents of the panchnama are proved beyond reasonable doubt.
18. She has read complaint and contended that looking to the contents of complaint, demand and acceptance of Rs.70/ is proved beyond reasonable doubt. She has contended that there is nothing on record to show that complainant had any enmity with the present appellant. She has read Section 8 of the Evidence Act and contended that the act of the present appellant is voluntary. On acceptance of amount, signal was given and members of raiding party rushed to the place and search was carried out and muddamal amount was recovered from the hand of the present appellant. Numbers of currency notes of Rs.50/ and Rs.20/ were tallied and they were the same. Mark of anthracene powder could be seen on fingers, thumb, fingertips and palms on both hands of the present appellant – accused. She has contended that from the hands of the present appellant – accused anthracene powder was found and in connection thereof, the appellant has failed to explain in his statement recorded under Section 313 of the Code as to how the anthracene powder was found on his hands. She has read oral version of the panch witness and contended that from the oral version of this witness demand made by the present appellant in his presence is proved beyond reasonable doubt.
19. She has also contended that looking to the facts of the case presumption under Section 20 of the P.C. Act is required to be drawn against the present appellant – accused. Section 20 of the P.C. Act reads as under :
“20. Presumption where public servant accepts gratification other than legal remuneration -
(1) Where, in any trial of an offence punishable under Section 7 or Section 11 or clause (a) or clause (b) of sub- section (1) of Section 13 it is proved that an accused person has accepted or obtained or has agreed to accept or attempted to obtain for himself, or for any other person, any gratification (other than legal remuneration) or any valuable thing from any person, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that he accepted or obtained or agreed to accept or attempted to obtain that gratification or that valuable thing, as the case may be, as a motive or reward such as is mentioned in section 7 or, as the case may be, without consideration or for a consideration which he knows to be inadequate.
(2) Where in any trial of an offence punishable under section 12 or under clause (b) of section 14, it is proved that any gratification (other than legal remuneration) or any valuable thing has been given or offered to be given or attempted to be given by an accused person, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that he gave or offered to give or attempted to give that gratification or that valuable thing, as the case may be, as a motive or reward such as is mentioned in section 7, or as the case may be, without consideration or for a consideration which he knows to be inadequate.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) and (2), the court may decline to draw the presumption referred to in either of the said sub- sections, if the gratification or thing aforesaid is, in its opinion, so trivial that no interference of corruption may fairly be drawn.”
20. She has read judgment and order passed by the Apex Court in Criminal Appeal Nos.97 and 98 of 2012 and contended that the Apex Court has also considered that as per Section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act presumption is required to be drawn in such type of cases.
21. She has read further statement of the appellant – accused recorded under Section 313 of the Code and contended that presence of the anthracene powder found from both the hands of the appellant is not explained by the appellant accused. It is the duty of the appellant to rebut the presumption under Section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. In support of her contention, she relied on the decision in the case of Balasubramanian Vs. State through Inspector of Police, reported in 2011 (1) GLR 739. She has contended that sufficient opportunity was given to the appellant to explain the evidence against him after the prosecution witnesses are examined and no explanation is given about the trap amount recovered from the possession of the present appellant in further statement under Section 313 of the Code.
22. She has read contents of letter produced at Ex.27 and contended that sanction is recorded by the District Superintendent of Police, Bhavnagar, who is competent authority. She has also contended that when the contents of sanction is admitted by the appellant accused, then no question can arise regarding legality and validity of sanction at Ex.27.
23. I have perused the oral as well as documentary evidence. I have also considered the oral arguments advanced by learned advocates appearing for both the sides. Mr.Majmudar, learned advocate for the appellant has vehemently submitted that the learned Judge has committed grave error in convicting the present appellant. He has tried to prove that sanctioning authority has given sanction without application of mind. From the evidence of the sanctioning authority, I do not find that the sanction is given without application of mind. The sanction given by the authority is as per provisions of law and sufficient papers are produced before the authority and after perusal of the said papers, sanction is given and therefore, it cannot be said that sanction is given without application of mind. It is proved beyond reasonable doubt that the present appellant – accused was present at the place of trap when the demand of entry fee was made by him in the form of illegal gratification. I have perused Section 8 of the Evidence Act. So far as conduct of the present appellant is concerned, at the time of trap he was on duty and he was present at the place of trap. I have perused Section 35 of the Evidence Act. Section 3 of the Act reads as under : “35. Relevancy of entry in public (record or an electronic record) made in performance of duty. - An entry in any public or other official book, register or (record or an electronic record), stating a fact in issue or relevant fact, and made by a public servant in the discharge of his official duty, or by any other person in performance of a duty specially enjoined by the law of the country in which such book, register, or (record or an electronic record) is kept, is itself a relevant fact.”
So far as presence of the appellant is concerned, as per Section 35 of the Act presence of the appellant is proved at the place of offence. I have perused further statement of the appellant recorded under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure the appellant has disclosed his presence in the same. In the further statement and written statement the appellant has tried to prove the defence version beyond reasonable doubt. The appellant has failed to explain as to how the amount in question was found in his possession and as to how light blue fluorescent marks of anthrecene powder were found on his hands. The appellant has failed to rebut the said presumption by leading probable defence. Thus, when demand and acceptance are proved and when the appellant has failed to rebut the presumption under Section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, I am of the opinion that prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. I have perused the oral evidence of Trapping Officer. The defence has not produced any evidence to suggest that the Trapping Officer is biased or that he has committed any illegality. The Trapping Officer is an independent witness and he is not having any illintention to implicate the appellant falsely. He has supported the case of the prosecution. The defence has failed to prove the probable defence. I have not found anything to accept the defence version of the appellant. I am of the opinion that the learned Special Judge has passed the judgment and order after appreciating all the aspects of the matter.
24. In the present case, witness No.1 who is a punter has fully supported the prosecution case. The witness No.2, who is a panch1 has also supported the prosecution case. He has narrated the entire incident which has taken place in his presence and he has proved the panchnama.
25. The Apex Court in case of Narendra Champaklal Trivedi Vs. State of Gujarat reported in AIR 2012 SC 2263, held that the demand and acceptance of the amount as illegal gratification is the sine qua non for constituting an offence under the Act. It is also settled in law that there is a statutory presumption under Section 20 of the Act which can be dislodged by the accused by bringing on record some evidence, either direct or circumstantial, that money was accepted by him other than the motive or reward as stipulated under Section 7 of the Act. The Apex Court further held that it is obligatory on the part of the court to consider the explanation offered by the accused under Section 20 of the Act and the consideration of the explanation has to be on the anvil of preponderance of probability. It was further held that it is not to be proved beyond reasonable doubt and it is necessary to state here that the prosecution is bound to establish that there was an illegal offer of bribe and acceptance thereof. The same has to be founded on facts. The Apex Court referred to the decision in the case of M.Narsinga Rao v. State of A.P. reported in (2001) 1 SCC 691 wherein a threeJudge Bench referred to Section 20 of the Act and stated that the only condition for drawing the legal presumption under Section 20 is that during trial it should be proved that the accused has accepted or agreed to accept any gratification. The section does not say that the said condition should be satisfied through direct evidence. Its only requirement is that it must be proved that the accused has accepted or agreed to accept the gratification. Thereafter, the Apex Court reproduced a passage from the decision in the case of Madhukar Bhaskarrao Joshi v. State of Maharashtra, reported in (2000) 8 SCC 571 with approval. It reads as follows: “The premise to be established on the facts for drawing the presumption is that there was payment or acceptance of gratification. Once the said premise is established the inference to be drawn is that the said gratification was accepted ‘as motive or reward’ for doing or forbearing to do any official act. So the word ‘gratification’ need not be stretched to mean reward because reward is the outcome of the presumption which the court has to draw on the factual premise that there was payment of gratification. This will again be fortified by looking at the collocation of two expressions adjacent to each other like ‘gratification or any valuable thing’. If acceptance of any valuable thing can help to draw the presumption that it was accepted as motive or reward for doing or forbearing to do an official act, the word ‘gratification’ must be treated in the context to mean any payment for giving satisfaction to the public servant who received it.”
26. In Raj Rajendra Singh Seth v. State of Jharkhand & Anr. reported in AIR 2008 SC 3212, the principle laid down in Madhukar Bhaskarrao Joshi (supra) was reiterated.
27. In State of Maharashtra v. Dnyaneshwar Laxman Rao Wankhede, reported in JT 2009(12) SC 516, it has been held that to arrive at the conclusion that there had been a demand of illegal gratification, it is the duty of the court to take into consideration the facts and circumstances brought on record in their entirety and for the said purpose, undisputedly, the presumptive evidence as laid down in Section 20 of the Act must also be taken into consideration.
28. In C.M. Girish Babu v. C.B.I., Cochin, High Court of Kerala reported in AIR 2009 SC 2022, after referring to the decisions in M.Narsinga Rao (supra) and Madhukar Bhaskarrao Joshi (supra), this Court has held thus: “19. It is well settled that the presumption to be drawn under Section 20 is not an inviolable one. The accused charged with the offence could rebut it either through the crossexamination of the witnesses cited against him or by adducing reliable evidence. If the accused fails to disprove the presumption the same would stick and then it can be held by the Court that the prosecution has proved that the accused received the amount towards gratification.”
29. In the case on hand, the money was admittedly recovered from the hands of the accusedappellant and therefore a presumption under Section 20 of the Act becomes obligatory. It is a presumption of law and it casts an obligation on the court to apply it in every case brought under Section 7 of the Act. The said presumption is a rebuttable one. In the present case, the explanation offered by the accusedappellant has not been accepted and there is no evidence on the basis of which it can be said that the presumption has been rebutted.
30. The learned advocate for the appellant has vehemently submitted that admittedly there has been no demand or acceptance. To bolster the said aspect, he has drawn inspiration from the statement of the complainant in his examinationinchief. The said statement, in my considered opinion, is not to be read out of context. He has clarified as regards the demand and acceptance at various places in his examination and in the crossexamination. The witness has clearly stated that there was demand of bribe and giving of the same. Nothing has been brought on record to doubt the presence of the shadow witness. He had given the signal after which the trapping party arrived at the scene and did the needful. All the witnesses have supported the case of the prosecution. The currency notes were recovered from the possession of the appellant. In the cross examination nothing has really been elicited to doubt his presence and veracity of the testimony. The appellant in his statement under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure has made an adroit effort to explain his stand but I have no hesitation in holding that he miserably failed to dislodge the presumption. Thus analysed and understood, there remains no shadow of doubt that the accusedappellant had demanded the bribe and accepted the same. Therefore, the conviction recorded by the learned trial Judge does not warrant any interference.
31. Section 13(2) of the Act postulates that any public servant who commits criminal misconduct shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine. As is demonstratable from the impugned judgment, the learned trial court has imposed the minimum sentence.
32. Looking to the facts of the case, I am of the opinion that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the appellant accused, being a public servant, demanded the bribe amount and also accepted the bribe amount from the complainant. The accused has not explained by discharging his burden of rebutting the statutory presumption of guilt against him. From the facts and evidence on record it is clearly established beyond reasonable doubt that the amount by way of bribe was demanded by the accused and he accepted the same voluntarily as an illegal gratification.
33. In view of above, I am in complete agreement with the findings, ultimate conclusion and resultant order of conviction and sentence passed by the trial Court and I am of the view that no other conclusion except the one reached by the trial Court is possible in the instant case as the evidence on record stands. Therefore, there is no valid reason or justifiable ground to interfere with the impugned judgment and order of conviction and sentence.
learned Special Judge, Bhavnagar, in Special Case No.7 of 1997 is hereby confirmed. Bail bond stands cancelled. R & P to be sent back to the trial court forthwith. The appellant – accused is directed to surrender before the Jail Authority within a period of four weeks from the date of this order, failing which the concerned Sessions Court shall issue non bailable warrant to effect the arrest of the appellant – original accused.
(Z.K.SAIYED, J.) kks