JUDGMENT :

The judgment, dated 14.03.2006 in C.C.No.9 of 1999, on the file of Special Judge for SPE & ACB Cases-cum-III Additional District & Sessions Judge, Visakhapatnam (“Special Judge” for short) is under challenge in this Criminal Appeal filed by the State, represented by the Inspector of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau (“A.C.B.” in short), Visakhapatnam.

2. The respondent herein faced charges under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) r/w 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (“P.C. Act” for short) and the learned Special Judge on conclusion of trial, found the respondent not guilty of the charges and accordingly, acquitted him under Section 248(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (“Cr.P.C.” for short), but ordered prosecution of P.W.1 for perjury.

3. The parties to this Criminal Appeal will hereinafter be referred to as described before the trial Court for the sake of convenience.

4. The State, represented by the Inspector of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Visakhapatnam, filed a charge sheet pertaining to Crime No.7/RC-WLR/98 of A.C.B., Visakhapatnam Range, alleging in substance as follows:

(i) Sri Doddi Nagaraju, the Accused Officer (“A.O.” for short), worked as Mandal Parishad Develo