K. Ramakrishnan, J.

The first accused in C.C.No.29/1998 on the file of the Special Judge (SPE/CBI-II), Ernakulam is the appellant in Crl.A.No.434/2001, while Crl.A.No.439/2001 was filed by the second accused in the same case. Both the accused were charge sheeted by the Inspector of Police, (SPE/CBI), Kochi in R.C.5/A/95/CBI/SPE/KER under section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code read with sections 7 and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as 'the P.C. Act') and section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d) of the P.C. Act.

2. The case of the prosecution in nutshell was that the first accused was working as the Principal in Regional Vocational Training Institute for Woman, Kazhakkoottam (hereinafter referred to as 'RVTI' in short), while the second accused was his friend and both of them conspired together to demand bribe from PW1 for the purpose of providing employment of peon in the institution for which he was shortlisted for appointment and on account of the conspiracy, they went to the residence of PW1 on 19.3.1995 and demanded bribe originally of Rs.30,000/- and then fixed the amount to Rs.15,000/- and asked him to bring and deliver the