Observing that the convict indulged in corruption and had parked ill-gotten money in the name of his wife and children, Special CBI Judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma ordered jail term for former MTNL Directory Officer Bhim Sain Thaman after holding him guilty of owning disproportionate assets worth Rs 21.56 lakh.
"The convict (Thaman) has been found in possession of disproportionate assets in the sum of Rs 21.56 lakh. He has been indulging in the corruption. It has been proved on record that convict had been parking ill-gotten money in the name of his wife and children," said the court, while also imposing a fine of Rs 10.00 lakh on him.
The CBI had chargesheeted Thaman in 1998 for abusing his official position as public servant to acquire assets to the tune of over Rs 32.69 lakh between April 1982 and March 1998.
Thaman, who had joined the department as a telephone inspector in 1967, has been charged under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Seeking leniency from the court, the counsel for Thaman submitted that the convict has already faced the trial for around 14 years. "He is the only person to look after his ailing and bed-ridden wife and elder sister. If he is sent to jail, he would also loose all his service benefits," it said.
"I consider that these are not the circumstances which could mitigate his criminality," the judge said, adding "I consider that in corruption cases the convict should be given harsh punishment. The corruption can never be allowed to be profitable business".
Sending Thaman to jail, the court also observed that the reputation of this country is also having an adverse impact on account of corruption amongst the public servants.
