JAMMU, Aug 6: A Special Anti-Corruption Court has framed charges against former Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Corporator Jyoti Devi and her husband Sham Lal in an alleged Rs 10,000 bribery case relating to the issuance of a Malba Clearance Certificate.
Additional Sessions Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, Rajni Sharma, directed that both accused stand trial for offences punishable under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the charge framed by the court, Jyoti Devi, the then Corporator of Ward No 53, Trikuta Nagar, allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 from complainant Irfan Ahmed, a contractor, for issuing the Malba Clearance Certificate required for the release of his pending payment by the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Division-IV.
The contractor had completed development works, including the upgradation of an open area along the main road near Easy Day and the installation of a grating over a drain opposite Kho Wali Gali in Trikuta Nagar.
Since his final payment was pending, he was required to obtain the clearance certificate from the concerned Corporator.
The prosecution alleged that Jyoti Devi directed the complainant to approach her husband, Sham Lal, for payment of the illegal gratification. It is alleged that the demand and attempted receipt of the bribe through Sham Lal were made in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy between the two accused.
A separate charge framed against Sham Lal states that he allegedly demanded and accepted Rs 10,000 on behalf of his wife for facilitating the issuance of the certificate.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau further alleges that he was caught red-handed during a trap operation while accepting the tainted money, which was subsequently recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses.
After considering the material placed before it, the court found a prima facie case against both accused and ordered that they be tried for the alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy.
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