Ex-sanitation department official of Punjab gets 4-year RI for graft

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court sentenced a former superintending engineer in the department of water supply and sanitation to four years of rigorous imprisonment for graft and slapped him with a ₹40,000 fine

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court sentenced a former superintending engineer in the department of water supply and sanitation to four years of rigorous imprisonment for graft and slapped him with a ₹40,000 fine on Monday.

The accused, Nirmal Kumar Dhir, sought a lenient sentence, saying that it was his first offence and that he was suffering from ailments (HT File)

The accused, Nirmal Kumar Dhir, sought a lenient sentence, saying that it was his first offence and that he was suffering from ailments. However, CBI court special judge Jagjit Singh observed that corruption in a civilized society is a cancerous disease, which, if not detected in time, is sure to malign the polity of our country leading to disastrous consequences.

“Today uncontrolled corruption has spread like contagious disease. So much so that many of us think that it is unavoidable. Many see it as normal and not immoral. That is disturbing. The corrupt have turned and twisted the system to suit them and have thrived. Many have prospered,” he said.

“Corruption among public servants has always existed in one form or the other, although its shape, dimensions, textures and shades have been changing from time to time and place to place. At one time, bribe was paid for getting wrong things done but now bribe is paid for getting right things done at the right time,” the court further observed, before pronouncing the sentence.

The accused Dhir was convicted under Sections 7 and 13 (1) d punishable under Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. For both these sections he was awarded a sentence for four years which will run concurrently and a fine of ₹20,000 each, which if he fails to pay will add six more months of imprisonment to his sentence.

Dhir was booked on the complaint of a government contractor, Harpreet Singh, who had been awarded a contract by department of water supply and sanitation in April 2013 through tenders for setting up a PVC water supply pipeline in Paprali village, Ropar, for a consideration of ₹29 lakh.

On August 2, 2013, the complainant told the CBI that the material was inspected by the junior engineer, sub-divisional officer, and executive engineer, who asked the complainant to submit the report in the office of the accused. However, Dhir allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1.31 lakh to approve the inspection report and he agreed to accept the sum in instalments. After Singh arranged ₹30,000, the CBI set up a trap and marked the notes. The accused was arrested on August 6 from his office in Sector 34.

While an FIR was registered by the CBI, Dhir claimed he was innocent and never asked for a bribe. During the trial, 20 witnesses were called by the prosecution, while the defence also called seven witnesses. The court ruled that the prosecution was able to prove beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that the accused demanded the bribe from the complainant and abused his official position as a public servant.