ORDER :

Rs.50 currency, which is said to have been found in the most unlikely place, i.e, in the socks worn by the petitioner, has landed the petitioner in the soup.

2. The trap laid, based on the complaint dated 16.01.1998, filed by Mr. Chandrachari, the Assistant Executive Engineer, was aimed at trapping another employee in the same department where the petitioner was working. The trap aimed at nabbing another employee, DGO-1 (Delinquent Government Official-1) also caught the present petitioner in possession of Rs.50, the tainted money.

3. The complainant Mr Chandrachari, was transferred from Byadagi to Dharwad. DGO-1 who was supposed to dispatch the service records, sat on it, expecting a bribe of Rs.150.00 for dispatching the service records.

4. Acting on the aforementioned complaint which was filed before Deputy Superintendent of Police Lokayukta, the case was registered in Crime No.2/1998 for the offence under Section 7, 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and a raid was conducted. The petitioner who happened to be with the delinquent government official (DGO -1) at the time of the raid, was also found to have Rs.50.00 the tainted currency. This currency