Ex-principal of govt school gets 2.5 yrs in jail for taking bribe

An ex-principal of a government boys' school, whose services were terminated after graft allegations against him, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail by a Delhi court for demanding illegal gratification from a travel agent to clear LTC bills of his school teachers.

Special Judge Sanjay Khanagwal handed down the jail term to 58-year-old Moman Ram Goswami, who was the principal of a Badarpur school here, for misusing his public office for clearing leave travel concession (LTC) forms of six teachers of his school in 2012.

"In pursuance of the said illegal demand (gratification) on August 29, 2012 at about 03.45 p.m. he received a sum of Rs 3000 from the complainant Gyan Singh by misusing or by abusing his public office for the purpose of clearance of LTC advance forms of the six teachers of his school," the judge said.

 

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 35,000 on the convict holding him guilty of the offences under sections 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and 13 (1) (d) (abusing position as public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

"The prosecution has successfully able to prove the demand, acceptance and recovery of bribe money from the possession of the accused. Thus, having established the obtainment of Rs 3000, presumption under section 20 of the PC Act is drawn, that amount was received as reward or as a motive for doing the official work i.e. clearing of LTC bills," it said.

According to the prosecution, Goswami had in August 2012 demanded and accepted bribe from complainant Gyan Singh, a travel agent, for clearance of LTC advance forms of the teachers of his school.

Feeling aggrieved by the demand, Singh had filed a written complaint to Anti Corruption Branch of the Delhi Police which conducted a raid on Goswami. He was arrested by the police for the offences under PC Act.

Seeking a stringent punishment for Goswami, the public prosecutor had said he was involved in corruption activity and abused his position.

However, Goswami had sought leniency from the court, contending that he was suffering from ailments and had no source of income after his termination of his employment from the school.

The court refused to take a lenient view but granted him bail till May 1 on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 while giving him time for filing appeal against the judgement.