Mantralaya Section officer convicted

Mumbai, Apr 2 (UNI) The ACB Special Court today convicted a former section officer of Public Work Department (PWD), Mantralaya, in a bribery case to suffer Seven-years Rigorous Imprisonment and pay fine of Rs one lakh.

Pronoucing the judgement here, Additional Session Court Judge D B Pujari said accused Babasaheb Bajirao Patil has committed an offence punishable u/s 7 and 13(i)(d) to suffer seven-year RI and pay fine of Rs one lakh in default he will have to undergo further RI for six months.

Additional Public Prosecutor Dilip Shah said complainant Rajesh D Bindra, working as operator for Airport Authority of India at Santacruz, Airport, here had approached the accused in connection with re-instatement of his father-in-law Keshwavrao Laxman Thorat following the labour court's order.

Mr Thorat was working as Mukadam in the Public Works Department at Nashik. He was suspended in 1991, which he had challeged in the labour court. On July 2, 1998, the labour court had passed order in his favour (Thorat). He visited Mantralaya on several occasions but there was no no response.

Fed-up with frequent visits in Mumbai from Nashik, Mr Thorat had asked his son-in-law and complainant Bindra to pursue the matter in Mantralaya.

When Bindra approached the accused for re-instatement of his father-in-law, the accused had demanded Rs 15,000 as bribe. He also explained to the Mr Bindra that his father-in-law will get arrears of Rs 1.5 lakh so he has to pay 10 per cent of it to him. Mr Bindra agreed to pay and simultaneously lodged a complaint with ACB and the accused was arrested.

UNI