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Rupnagar jail doc gets four years in prison for taking ₹4,000 bribe
The CBI had arrested the doctor in July 2014. Dr Jassi had taken the bribe from Dolly Rani, mother of a prisoner named Sandeep and had been convicted on March 10, with the sentence announced on Monday.
Chandigarh Observing that due to such medical officers, the whole society will suffer, the Special Court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chandigarh, has awarded four-year jail to Dr Rajiv Jassi, convicted of taking ₹4,000 as bribe from a woman for referring her son, lodged in Rupnagar jail, to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). The court has also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on him.
The CBI had arrested the doctor for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹4,000, in July 2014. Dr Jassi had taken the bribe from Dolly Rani, mother of a prisoner named Sandeep and had been convicted on March 10, with the sentence announced on Monday.
The doctor’s counsel pleaded in court that Dr Jassi had been facing mental agony for the past seven years on account of this case, and, hence, a lenient view may kindly be taken
Public prosecutor KP Singh, however, said that taking a lenient view in such matters sent a wrong message to undesirable elements in the society, therefore, stringent and deterrent punishment may be imposed upon the convict.
Observing that the “court should not show leniency”, Sushil Kumar Garg, special judge, CBI, stated: “While imposing sentence in corruption cases, society’s cry for justice should also be kept in mind. When such a medical officer does not act with integrity, the whole society will suffer. Corruption deserves no sympathy and leniency.”
It added: “It is proved that the convict Dr Rajiv Jassi has demanded and accepted a bribe amount of ₹4,000. Therefore, looking at the gravity of the offence, Dr Jassi is awarded four-year jail under Section 7, Section 13 (1) (d) punishable under Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.”
