JUDGMENT :

1. Challenging the conviction and sentence imposed in C.C.No.12 of 2002, the sole accused filed the present Criminal Appeal. The accused was tried for the offences punishable under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act. By its judgment dated 19.8.2006, the learned Sessions Judge convicted the accused officer under both the counts and sentenced him to suffer Rigorous Imprisonment for a period of one year and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/-, in default, to suffer Simple Imprisonment for 3 months under each count. The substantive sentences of imprisonment were directed to run concurrently.

2. The substance of the charge against the against the accused officer is that on 05.02.2001 at 10.30 AM the accused is said to have demanded an amount of Rs.2,500/- as bribe from one Avutu Brahmanandareddy of Tumuluru Village for issuance of a certificate of license in his favour and pursuant there to, accepted the same on 20.02.2001. The said amount was recovered from a diary, kept on the table of the accused officer.

3. The facts in issue are as under :

There was one fertilizer shop in the name of the father of P.W.1 at Tumuluru village. P.W.1 intended