Rajasthan High Court Dismisses Bribery Case Against Ex-IAS Officer Nannumal Pahadiya
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Synopsis
In a landmark decision, the Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the bribery case against former District Collector Nannumal Pahadiya due to lack of evidence. The court emphasized the importance of substantiating allegations against public servants to prevent misuse of the legal system.
Key Takeaways
- The Rajasthan High Court quashed the bribery case against Nannumal Pahadiya.
- Justice Ganeshram Meena ruled the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence.
- The court highlighted potential misuse of legal processes against public servants.
- The case originated from a complaint about alleged bribery related to the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway.
- Pahadiya was arrested shortly before his retirement and later received bail.
Jaipur, March 21 (NationPress) In a notable reprieve for former District Collector Nannumal Pahadiya, the Rajasthan High Court has annulled the bribery case that was pending against him in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Ganeshram Meena on Thursday, determining that the prosecution was unable to provide definitive evidence indicating that Pahadiya either requested or accepted a bribe.
The High Court observed that the ACB could not establish any substantial proof regarding the bribery allegations directed at Pahadiya.
The judgment highlighted: "It seems the petitioner was implicated merely to create sensational news and to conduct a media trial due to his status as a senior IAS officer. Initiating prosecution against an official without credible evidence is unacceptable, as it could enable complainants to misuse the legal system and apply undue pressure on public servants."
The court underlined that according to the Prevention of Corruption Act, it is essential for the prosecution to furnish clear evidence demonstrating a government official's misuse of their position to solicit or accept a bribe.
However, in this instance: "There was no direct evidence proving that Pahadiya solicited a bribe, no verification that he received any funds, and no pending tasks from the complainant that fell within Pahadiya’s jurisdiction to warrant a bribery request. The ACB did not carry out a trap operation against him, nor was any recovered sum connected to Pahadiya.
This case stemmed from a complaint filed by Iqbal Singh, whose company was engaged in the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway project. Singh claimed that Nannumal Pahadiya, the then District Collector of Alwar, demanded Rs 4 lakh monthly as a bribe. Ashok Sankhla (Land Management Officer, RAS) purportedly demanded Rs 50,000 each month. Singh asserted that the accused were coercing him to pay four months' overdue bribe from November 2021 to February 2022.
Notably, the court pointed out a significant discrepancy, stating that the complaint was lodged on April 22, 2022, while Pahadiya was transferred from Alwar to Jaipur on April 13, 2022, and was relieved from his duties on April 18, 2022.
The ACB’s verification process did not conclusively prove that Pahadiya requested a bribe, the court remarked, adding, "The bribe amount was retrieved from a scooty owned by Nitin, an associate of RAS officer Ashok Sankhla, rather than from Pahadiya."
Considering these facts, the High Court ruled in favor of Nannumal Pahadiya, stating that there was insufficient evidence to warrant criminal proceedings. Consequently, the case against him has been dismissed.
Pahadia was apprehended by the ACB on April 23, 2022, approximately 99 days prior to his retirement. The government suspended him on the same day. During his suspension, Pahadia retired on July 31, 2022. Meanwhile, on June 15, 2022, the ACB submitted a challan against Pahadiya, Ashok Sankhla, and others. Following this, on June 29, 2022, Pahadia and Ashok Sankhla were granted bail by the High Court.
