A 70-year old former MCD official has been sentenced to three years imprisonment in a disproportionate assets (DA) case for illegally amassing over Rs seven lakh between 1995 to 2000 by a Delhi court.
The Special CBI Judge awarded jail term to B R Malhotra, who worked as assistant engineer in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and was given compulsory retirement from service, saying he had been indulging in "corruption and amassing ill- gotten money".
The court held that Malhotra was found in possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 7,27,218 which was almost 70 per cent of his known source of income.
"Convict had been indulging in corruption and amassing ill-gotten money... Corruption is a very serious problem and hurdle on the path of progress of this Country. Corruption by public servants has created a sense of insecurity for the common man.
"Such cases deserve no leniency as a strong message needs to be sent to the society. The superior courts from time to time have discouraged the practice adopted in case of corruption," judge Sanjay Garg I said.
He said it was a matter of record that Malhotra was facing trial for 14 years and was an old person but these were not the circumstances which mitigate his criminality.
"Every case has its own facts and circumstances. In my view, in corruption cases, convict deserves to be given harsh punishment," the judge said and also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on the convict.
The court, however, allowed his plea to suspend the sentence for 30 days to enable him to file an appeal against the judgement before the superior court.
He was granted bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount.
