ORAL JUDGMENT

Date : 21-06-2024

1. In the month of 2014, the petitioner was posted as Circle Officer at Bathnaha Block, Sitamarhi. As Circle Officer, it not in dispute that the petitioner used to perform his duties of mutation of names of the owners and possessors of land under the aforesaid Block in the land records of rights. That on 14th of November, 2014, one Rambhu Jha allegedly made a complaint before the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (hereinafter referred to as the “VIB”), Patna, stating, inter alia, that the petitioner demanded a sum of Rs. 5,000/- in order to mutate the name of the complainant Rambhu Jha in respect of a piece of land. The VIB initially examined the veracity of the said complaint submitted by the above-named Rambhu Jha and on being satisfied, the VIB organized a trap on 10th of December, 2014 to apprehend the petitioner herein. It is further alleged that out of the said Rs. 5,000/-, the petitioner already accepted bribe of Rs. 1,000/- and the rest amount of Rs. 4,000/- was tendered by one of the trap members to him. The petitioner accepted the bribe and handed over the same to the Anchal Nazir of his office. Immediately, both the petitioner and the Anchal Nazir were caught red-handed. The bribe money was recovered from the possession of the Anchal Nazir, namely, Hulash Prasad. The bribe money was seized under a seizure list, trap memo was prepared at the spot and the petitioner as well as the Anchal Nazir were arrested. Subsequently, a complaint was submitted against the petitioner and the Anchal Nazir, on the basis of which Vigilance P.S. Case No. 93 of 2014 was inititued against the petitioner and another above-named person under Section 7/13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

2. As a result of the arrest, the petitioner was suspended in contemplation of a departmental proceeding.

3. Indisputably, the departmental proceeding was initiated against the petitioner on the basis of the following charges:- “izi= “d”

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