Prem Singh Naik, the Panchayat Development Officer of Aithur Gram Panchayat in Kadaba taluk, Dakshina Kannada, has been sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment and fined ₹50,000 for bribery and corruption. The verdict was delivered by the third additional district and sessions special court, Mangaluru, on December 13.
The case stemmed from an incident on June 3, 2019, where Naik allegedly demanded a ₹9,000 bribe for processing a 9/11 registration. Following a complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) police in Mangaluru registered a case under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment Act 2018). A trap operation led to his arrest.
After a detailed trial (Special Case No. 170/2020), the court handed Naik a three-year jail term and imposed a fine. If he fails to pay, he will serve an additional month in simple imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by Inspector Shyam Sundar HM, who filed the chargesheet. The prosecution was led by Ravindra Munnipadi, special public prosecutor for Karnataka Lokayukta, Mangaluru.
This judgment is regarded as a strong step in the fight against corruption, sending a message about accountability in public offices.
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