JUDGMENT

A. The Appeal:-

This Criminal Appeal challenges the judgment of the learned XIII Additional Special Judge / Special Court for CBI Cases, Chennai, dated 18.04.2015, in C.C.No.15 of 2002. The trial court found the appellant / accused No.1 guilty of an offense under Section 13 (2) read with Section 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 , and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs.50,000/-; failing to pay the fine, he was to serve an additional six months of simple imprisonment. Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of disproportionate assets accumulated by the appellant, totaling Rs.12,72,961/-, in favor of the government. Regarding this amount, the court directed that Rs.5,03,000/- and Rs.7,40,850/- seized from the accused be appropriated, and the remaining Rs.29,111/- be returned to the first accused.

B. Case of the Prosecution:

2. The case of the prosecution is that the 1 accused/appellant was a public servant, st working as Assistant Commissioner of Customs at Mumbai in 1998. On 11.01.1998, when he alighted from a flight from Mumbai to Chennai at Meenambakkam Airport, CBI officials searched him based on info