JUDGMENT

A.K. SIKRI, J. One Mr. Ravinderpal Singh Sidhu was the Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission (for short, 'PSC') between 1996-2002. During his tenure as the Chairman, some appointments were made in the Executive Class–I between 1998-2001, by way of direct recruit as well as by nomination, as provided in the Rules. Appointments of judicial officers were also made in four batches within the same period. On getting tip to the effect that for making such appointments Mr. Sidhu had received bribe from many people, raids were conducted in his house sometime in the year 2002, on more than one occasion. A huge sum of money, i.e., Rs. 16 crores (approximately), was recovered from his custody and from other relatives of Mr. Sidhu. This led to lodging of the First Information Reports (FIRs) against him, leading to criminal prosecution primarily under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In these FIRs, some of the officers of the Executive Branch and Allied Services of the Punjab Civil Service (for short, ‘PCS’) were also implicated. Smelling rat i