JUDGMENT :

A. BADHARUDEEN, J.

Being aggrieved by the conviction and sentence imposed against the appellant/accused, who is the sole accused in C.C. No. 153 of 2016 on the files of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Thalassery, the present appeal has been filed by the appellant/accused. The State of Kerala, represented by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), is the respondent.

2. Heard the learned counsel for the appellant/accused as well the learned Special Public Prosecutor in detail. Perused the records of the special court and the decisions placed by the learned counsel for the appellant/accused and the learned special Public Prosecutor .

3. The prosecution case is that the accused, while working as Forester on special duty at the Forest Range Office, Kasaragod, abused his official position and demanded illegal gratification from PW2 for the release of a mini lorry bearing registration No. KL-14C-99, when the said vehicle had been ordered to be released by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kasaragod, on 23.01.2012. The further allegation is that the accused negotiated with PW2 and reduced his initial demand for ₹10,000 to ₹5,000. Thereafter at about 2:30 p.m., on 0