JUDGMENT :

1. The appellant – State of Gujarat has preferred the present appeal under Section 378 of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 against the judgment and order of acquittal dated 31.3.2006 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court No. 6, Vadodara (hereinafter be referred to as “the Trial Court”) in Special Case No. 9 of 2001, whereby the respondents-original accused were acquitted from the charges levelled against them under Sections 7, 12, 13(1)(d), 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

2. The facts in brief giving rise to the filing of present appeal are as under:

2.1 The Assistance Director of Anti-Corruption Bureau ("ACB" for short) has received an information that the Police Officers of the Baroda Rural Traffic received illegal gratification amount from the drivers of the passenger vehicles, who ply their vehicles from Baroda to nearby area. Therefore, they have planned to arrange the trap and accordingly, they have arranged one Jeep Car and agreed the driver Riyazhussan Fakirmahomed Ghori to accompany them for arranging the trap. Thereafter, along with two panchas namely Hiteshbhai Kantilal Thaker and Mukeshbhai Vinubhai Shah, serving in the Forest