Judgment :

P. Sathasivam, J.

1. These appeals are directed against the common final judgment and order dated 29.01.2008 passed by the High Court of Judicature, Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in Criminal Appeal Nos. 602 and 617 of 2001 respectively whereby the High Court while dismissing the appeals confirmed the order of conviction passed by the trial Court but reduced the sentence of rigorous imprisonment (RI) of two years to one year.

2. Brief facts:

(a) According to the prosecution, basing on reliable information, on 23.03.1995, the Inspector of Police, Special CBI, Visakhapatnam registered an FIR in Crime No. RC.03 (A)/95-VSP against Shri N.V. Subba Rao (A-1), the then Branch Manager, Central Bank of India (in short ‘the Bank’), Guntur, A.P and Shri Attur Prabhakar Hegde (A-2), Proprietor of A.P. Enterprises, Guntur, A.P. for the commission of offence punishable under Section 120-B read with Section 420 IPC and Sections 420, 468 and 471 read with Section 468 IPC and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (in short ‘the P.C. Act.) alleging that A-1 abused his official position as a public servant and entered into a criminal conspiracy wit