Former Agriculture dept. official acquitted after 25 years of litigation
The Special Vigilance Court, Muvattupuzha, has acquitted a former Agriculture department officer of corruption charges after the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) filed a supplementary final report stating that the accused had not committed any offence.
L. Laila, 69, of Piravom, was acquitted after nearly 25 years of litigation following a discharge petition she had filed. She was accused of misappropriating ₹3.47 lakh of government funds through forgery while serving as Assistant Director, Piravom, between October 1, 1993, and October 30, 1996. Consequently, she was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, forgery, and falsification of accounts.
In his verdict, Special Judge N.V. Raju observed that there was neither any material evidence to suggest that Ms. Laila had forged documents nor any instance of falsification of accounts, either in the VACB's final report or in the statements of witnesses.
Ms. Laila was accused of misappropriating funds allotted for distribution to eight Krishi Bhavans under her jurisdiction by transferring them to a bank account in the name of the Assistant Director, Piravom, and to her personal account. The petitioner claimed that the transfer was made to overcome a treasury ban and that the funds were eventually distributed to the concerned Krishi Bhavans. In the supplementary final report, the VACB conceded that no loss was caused to the government, but stated that her act was, at best, a violation of the Kerala Financial Code and the Rules of the Treasury Code. She was represented by her counsel N.P. Thankachan.
'It is well settled that a mere violation of the rules of business does not amount to criminal misconduct unless there is evidence of gain made by the public servant or any other person through abuse of office or by criminal means. As already said, there is no misappropriation involved in this case,' the judge said.
'The supplementary report clearly exonerates the accused of the alleged offences, and hence the report is liable to be accepted,' the verdict said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
CBI books senior IRS official, others, in ₹4.22 cr disproportionate assets case
Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer currently posted with the Income Tax (I-T) Department for allegedly possessing assets worth ₹4.22 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. The action follows the agency's verification of a complaint received from the vigilance wing of the I-T Department. According to the CBI's First Information Report (FIR), the assets were allegedly accumulated during the officer's postings in Gujarat between January 2012 and March 2021. Alongside the officer, the CBI has named four others as co-accused — his wife, a Gujarat-based chartered accountant, and two officials associated with a partner firm of a Gujarat real estate group — for allegedly aiding him in concealing and investing illicit wealth. The agency has also booked unnamed individuals under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act for abetment and criminal misconduct by a public servant. The complaint from the Directorate General of Income Tax (Vigilance), New Delhi, dated August 2024, alleged that the officer had amassed several immovable properties in his and his wife's name that were not commensurate with their declared income. It cited details of four such properties and other financial transactions for verification. A discreet enquiry by a CBI inspector, completed in February this year, corroborated the allegations. The findings indicated that the officer had acquired both movable and immovable assets, including multiple properties, in his and his family members' names during his tenure in Gujarat. The CBI stated that the officer was on study leave abroad when the probe was initiated. In one instance highlighted in the FIR, the officer is alleged to have purchased four villas in Gujarat in September 2020, registering them in the name of his wife and the relative of the chartered accountant. Within a week of registration, the chartered accountant's family member reportedly executed a will transferring their share of the property — along with other valuable items — to the IRS officer. The FIR further mentions that a search conducted by the I-T Department in September 2021 led to the seizure of evidence suggesting these properties were undervalued at the time of purchase, raising concerns about possible irregularities. A senior CBI official said, 'The officer was found in possession of disproportionate assets amounting to ₹4.22 crore. He prima facie misused his official position to enrich himself illicitly, in violation of the Prevention of Corruption Act.' The agency also noted that several of the transactions and asset acquisitions were not disclosed to the department, as required under the Conduct Rules applicable to public servants. Further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the alleged misconduct and the roles of the other accused.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Prisoner until proven innocent: A five-decade ordeal
Lakhan Pasi was sleeping inside his thatched hut in Gourey village when his wife Pyari Devi woke him up. It was around 4pm on August 5, 1977. Pyari told him that 15-16 people in the neighbourhood were fighting near the village well with sticks and lathis. 'When I went, I saw Deshraj had attacked Prabhu, who was bleeding. They had an old enmity. Police came and took Prabhu to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,' said Lakhan. Night was falling so Lakhan came home and narrated the gory story to his family of eight people. He then went to sleep, waking up the next morning to slip back into his mundane routine of watering his field. According to Lakhan, Deshraj (single name) was angry with Prabhu (single name), his neighbour, as the latter's cattle would stray into his farm and destroy crops. A day before the murder, on August 4, 1977, there was a scuffle between the two on the same issue. Deshraj's mother, who tried to intervene, suffered a fracture in her hand. This infuriated Deshraj and his family leading to Prabhu's murder the next day. The next night, police barged into Lakhan's humble household, and frogmarched the 56-year-old man to the police station along with three other accused including Deshraj, Kaleshwar and Kallu. 'Prabhu's brother, Rajaram (single name), had included my name also in the first information report and the police arrested me along with three others,' Lakhan said. Earlier that evening, the UP Police had lodged an FIR at the Sarai Aqil Police Station under Sections 323 and 308 of the Indian Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Deshraj, his brother and brother-in-law, Kaleshwar and Kallu,respectively, and Lakhan, on a complaint by Rajaram. The sordid saga that began on August 6, 1977 ended finally last week, when the Allahabad high court acquitted Lakhan and said in its order dated May 2, 2025: 'Appellant no.1 Lakhan and appellant no.2 Deshraj shall be set free, if they are in jail, and in the event, they are on bail, their bail bonds shall stand discharged subject to compliance of Section 437-A of the CrPC, provided they are not wanted in any other case.' The Dalit man walked out of jail on May 20,2025, at 104, having spent nearly five decades behind bars – his plight an indictment of police overreach, gaps in investigation, the problems faced by poor and marginised people in accessing justice, and endemic delays in the judicial system. Convicted in 1982 The FIR filed by Rajaram on August 6, 1977, alleged that on the previous night, at around 4pm, his cousin Pran was on his way to Vikrama Talab to bathe. The villagers, Lakhan, Deshraj, Kaleshwar and Kallu, armed with lathis, assaulted Pran, who then raised the alarm, the FIR said. Rajaram, along with his brothers Prabhu and Chandan, rushed to help him but they were also assaulted. Soon, witnesses Shukru, Gurudeen, Bhaiyalal also reached the spot to rescue the victims. Rajaram said Prabhu, who had received lathi blows on his neck, fell unconscious. According to court records, there was also an old enmity between Rajaram and Deshraj. After the FIR was lodged, the injured were referred to district hospital, Beli, Allahabad. The medical report said Prabhu sustained injuries to forehead, face, and chest. Prabhu died on August 7 at 10.05pm. The case was heard by the sessions court on August 17, 1980, which framed charges against the four on November 18, 1980, under sections 302/34 (for Prabhu's murder) and section 307/34 (Pran and Rajaram's assault). During the trial, Lakhan's counsel, hired by his wife Pyari, denied his involvement in the conflict. After further pleas, the four were convicted by the additional sessions judge of the Allahabad high court on November 2, 1982. The appeals made in the court after this remained pending for nearly five decades. They were sentenced to life imprisonment and four years rigorous imprisonment — both of which were to run concurrently. Two of the four accused, Kallu and Kaleshwar, died in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Their appeals were abated on September 17, 2015 and April 6, 2015, respectively, while Deshraj became and continues to be bedridden. The high court said in its May 2 order: 'The improbability of the prosecution regarding the genesis and events and the manner in which the incident were unfolded, created a doubt on the prosecution case, which has not been examined by the Court below. The defence has clearly probabilised its version, which cannot be overlooked. The findings of the Trial Court that prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, therefore, cannot be sustained. The accused appellants are clearly entitled to benefit of doubt in the matter.' Lakhan's family spent in lakhs and the family changed four counsel during the case. They sold most of their 13 bighas of land. Pyari Devi died in 2013. 'We were very young. I remember my mother selling everything to get my father acquitted. Till her last days, she kept on saying that my father was just standing and never hit anyone,' said Lakhan's daughter Asha Devi. Two jails, 48 years and countless delays later According to Lakhan, he was granted parole on three occasions, though he was unable to recollect the dates or the names of the counsel who appeared on his behalf. Lakhan spent his time in two jails. Soon after their arrest, the four of them were lodged in Naini Central Jail of Prayagraj (then Allahabad). The Kaushambi jail was established in 2014, after which they were moved to the district jail there. Things started moving last year, when the high court took suo motu cognisance of the case, while seeking to dispose of its pending cases. Kaushambi jail superintendent Ajitesh Kumar said the court appointed Manmohan Mishra as amicus curie in the case. Lakhan was finally acquitted on May 2, after the court gave its verdict stating the prosecution could not prove his involvement in the murder. 'For the forgoing reasons and discussion held above, the present appeal succeeds and is allowed. The Judgment and Order of conviction dated 02.11.1982 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge IV, Allahabad in Sessions Trial No.162 of 1980, is hereby set-aside,' said the order by the bench comprising justices Vivek Kumar Birla and Nand Prabha Shukla. However, things did not end there. 'Two days after the verdict, Lakhan's daughter Asha Devi apprised us that she could not afford a counsel, to facilitate Lakhan's release, owing to poverty. I wrote a letter to DLSA (District Legal Services Authority), Kaushambi on May 4, which appointed advocate Ankit Maurya to expedite Lakhan's release,' Kumar said. The DLSA or the legal aid committee of high court do not directly step into the release process of a prisoner. The jailer, who after assessing the inability of a prisoner to hire a counsel owing to financial constraints, gets in touch with the DLSA through an application signed by the prisoner. Kumar added that even with a counsel, it took 18 days for Lakhan to step out of jail due to administrative delays. 'It took 18 days of struggle against these hurdles and we received his release order on the morning of May 20. He was released in the afternoon,' Kumar added. 'Several factors lead to cases pending in appeal for long durations in high courts. Lack of surety bonds, non-availability of adequate strength of judges, lack of resources deterring hiring of counsel by accused, the accused being out on bail for long periods, etc., could be some reasons,' said former Allahabad high court judge, justice Pankaj Naqvi. The same applies to delays in the filing of charge sheets. Retired IPS officer and former IG (Prayagraj Zone) KP Singh said there should be a provision to fix the transfer deadline of every police personnel so that new cases are not allocated to an officer nearing his transfer date. 'Presently, on transfer of an investigating officer, the probe is left in a lurch with the new incumbent unaware of the details of the case. The new officer sometimes begins the probe all over again, resulting in delay in filing of charge sheet,' Singh said. Helpless but indignant It's been almost two weeks since Lakhan was released. Lying on a cot under a roofed verandah of his daughter's one room, mud wall house in Pashchim Sharira area of Kaushambi, the 104-year-old has a shadow on his gaunt face. His family of five daughters and a son has withered – two have died. He barely knows his grandchildren, who were born when he was in jail. Asha Devi said her father does not talk much or interact with anyone. 'He keeps lying on the cot and stares at the roof most of the day. At times he remembers my mother and asks what happened to her in her last days,' she said, with tears in her eyes. She is helpless but indignant. 'Should any innocent person be kept behind bars for so long?' she asked. Lakhan appears resigned to his fate. 'What had I done? The officials didn't listen to me, and sent me to jail. Now what is left?' he asked. 'Everyone is dead. Only I am alive.'
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Co-op recruitment scam:ACB seeks guv's nod toprosecute ex-min Anjana
1 2 Jaipur: The state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has sought governor Haribhau Badge's permission to prosecute Congress politician and former minister of cooperation Udailal Anjana in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment of managers for Gram Seva Cooperative Societies (GSS). The case centres on the appointment of over 1,100 individuals who, officials say, were hired in violation of prescribed norms during the 2022–23 recruitment process when Congress was in power. Many of those selected were reportedly unqualified. Sources said ACB has already received approval to investigate some officers from the cooperation department under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Anjana, a senior Congress functionary and former Lok Sabha MP, has been a prominent figure in state politics since the late 1980s. A three-time MLA from Nimbahera assembly seat, Anjana was also elected to Lok Sabha from the Chittorgarh seat after defeating former Union defence minister Jaswant Singh in the 1998 parliamentary elections. The case adds to Congress' recent troubles, following the former minister Mahesh Joshi's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in April last year for his alleged involvement in the Rs 900-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam. An ACB officer said on condition of anonymity that the previous govt decided to regularise appointments made before 2017. For recruitments made after that, the Cooperative Recruitment Board was tasked with the process. But according to officials, key checks were ignored. The cooperative dept later raised concerns about the process and requested detailed data of eligible candidates, leading to further scrutiny of appointments. After allegations emerged linking him to the recruitment scam, Anjana told TOI Sunday he had nothing to hide and was ready to face any inquiry. Accusing BJP govt of targeting him Anjana said the govt should first investigate its own cooperative minister — Gautam Kumar Dak — before probing others. "He (Dak) has been accused of shielding individuals involved in corruption worth crores by using his political influence," Anjana said. He also pointed to alleged irregularities in the distribution of tractors through the Rajkishan Custom Hiring Centre. The ACB has been investigating suspected irregularities in recruitment within the cooperative department for several months. In Feb 2025, the agency launched a probe into a suspected scam involving the unlawful regularisation of nearly 100 contractual employees in cooperative banks in rural parts of Jalore district. ACB teams reportedly seized documents indicating irregularities in the screening process conducted between 2021 and 2023.
