IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE KAUSER EDAPPAGATH FRIDAY, THE 24TH DAY OF MAY 2024 / 3RD JYAISHTA, 1946 CRL.A NO. 587 OF 2016 AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 31.05.2016 IN CC NO.3 OF 2015 OF SPECIAL JUDGE(SPE/CBI) - III, ERNAKULAM APPELLANT/ACCUSED:

BHARAT RAJ MEENA AGED 43 YEARS S/O SRI RAMDEV MEENA, RESIDING AT WARD NO.12, KHANPOLE GATE,NAINWA,DISTRICT-BUNDI(RAJASTHAN)-

323801 BY ADVS.

ABRAHAM P.MEACHINKARA P.MURALEEDHARAN(K/209/1984) ALEXANDER K.C.(K/1057/2021)

MARGARET MAUREEN DROSE(K/1328/2019)

JAYAKRISHNAN P.R.(K/1659/2020)

THOMAS GEORGE(K/1723/2021)

RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT:

CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, ACB,KOCHI,ERNAKULAM,BY STANDING COUNSEL, HIGH COURT OF KERALA,PIN-682031 BY ADVS.

SRI.SREELAL WARRIAR, SC, C.B.I.

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON

20.05.2024, THE COURT ON 24.05.2024 DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

J U D G M E N T This appeal has been preferred by the accused in CC No.3/2015 on the file of Special Judge, (SPE/CBI) III Ernakulam (for short, 'the trial court') challenging the judgment dated 31/5/2016 convicting and sentencing him under Sections 7 and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (for short,