Judgment

S.B. Sinha, J.—Leave granted.

2. The Appellant along with one Umrao Singh was convicted for commission of an offence purported to be under Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (for short "the Act") and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year and to pay a fine of Rs. 3000/- each. On an appeal preferred thereagainst the High Court, however, reduced the sentence to six months as against the Appellant and the sentence awarded to Umrao Singh was reduced to the period already undergone.

The fact of the matter is as under:

3. One Ganeshi Lal, Inspector (PW-2) was investigating the case under Section 302/201 of the Indian Penal Code arising out the First Information Report No. 45 dated 19.2.1992 wherein one Kallu Ram resident of Village Rampura was murdered. Allegedly, Umrao Singh and his family members were suspected to be involved in the said case. The prosecution case is that on 28.5.1992 when Ganeshi Lal, Inspector was present at about 7 a.m. at his residence, the Appellant and the said Umrao Singh came to his house and offered him a sum of Rs. 10,000/- with a request that he should help them in connection therewith. Ganeshi Lal allegedly refu