CUTTACK, India, May 19 -- Orissa High Court issued the following order on April 17:

1. The Appellant-State is assailing the judgment and order of acquittal dated 25.11.2022 passed by the learned Special Judge (Vigilance), Jeypore, Koraput in G.R. Case No. 01 of 2014 (V) / T.R. No. 15 of 2014, arising out of Koraput Vigilance P.S. Case No. 01 of 2014.

I. FACTUAL MATRIX:

2. The prosecution case, in brief, is that the Complainant (P.W.8), a retired Assistant Teacher, submitted sanction documents of the Accountant General, Odisha, Bhubaneswar along with pay withdrawal particulars, etc. for drawal of his gratuity, commutation pension, and other retiral benefits. In that connection, he contacted accused Nrusimhanath Sahu of the Koraput Treasury Office. The said accused, however, asked him to discuss the matter with accused Daud Jena, Accountant of the said office.

3. Accordingly, the Complainant met accused Daud Jena, who told him that he had to pay a bribe of Rs.2,000/- for accused Nrusimhanath Sahu and Rs.1,000/- for himself to get the work done.

4. On 09.01.2014, when the Complainant again met both the accused persons, they reiterated their demand and stated that unless the bribe was paid, the bills and pension papers would not be passed.

5. On 10.01.2014, when the Complainant approached accused Sahu, the accused enquired whether he had brought the demanded bribe money. When the Complainant denied, accused Sahu told him to give Rs.200/- for issuance of tokens. Upon payment of Rs.200/- by the Complainant, accused Sahu issued him three tokens of the Koraput Treasury. Thereafter, accused Daud Jena asked the Complainant to come with the demanded bribe so that the advice could be sent to the Bank.

6. Finding no alternative, the Complainant lodged a written FIR, which was registered as Koraput Vigilance P.S. Case No.01 dated 10.01.2014. A trap team was then constituted, and Maheswar Sadangi (P.W.5), the Magisterial witness, along with Prasanta Kumar Panda (P.W.6), the overhearing witness, were requisitioned.

7. The Complainant narrated his complaint before the trap team and produced five G.C. notes of Rs.500/- each and five G.C. notes of Rs.100/- each. Maheswar Sadangi (P.W.5) noted down the serial numbers and denominations of the said G.C. notes on a plain paper and was directed to keep the same for comparison after detection. A demonstration showing the reaction of phenolphthalein powder with sodium carbonate solution was conducted. Thereafter, the G.C. notes were smeared with phenolphthalein powder and handed over to the Complainant, kept in a fourfold paper.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=tuqye3PhFs%2BBDn75ghiOpNJvSNgSDHp3%2FTWLGcQVu66Uzja6Ks5uDSXhdpW4iP%2F7&caseno=CRLLP/28/2023&cCode=1&cino=ODHC010361672023&state_code=11&appFlag=)

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.