Mumbai: A special court on Tuesday convicted a 63-year-old man with brain cancer to three years of rigorous imprisonment under Prevention of Corruption Act and fined him Rs 50,000 for taking a bribe of Rs 2,500 for facilitating the issuance of a wireman licence through the electricity office at Chembur in 2015.
Andheri resident Shivaji Ghag, a private individual working as an agent in the office, had demanded Rs 5,000 to influence public servants, which was to be paid before and after the licence’s procurement. The actual fees for the licence was only Rs 200. Anti-Corruption Bureau was alerted. A trap was laid and Ghag was arrested on Sept 29, 2015. He was on bail during the trial’s pendency.

Special judge S E Bangar said while a “stringent view” has to be taken when dealing with Ghag, the punishment needs to be commensurate with his age, various ailments, and the amount of bribe he demanded and took.
Relying on an SC order, the judge said a private person can be prosecuted under Prevention of Corruption Act even if no public servant is arraigned as an accused.
Seeking stringent punishment to deter others, special public prosecutor Prabhakar J Tarange said the malpractice of public servants seeking illegal gratification through agents at their offices is on the rise.
Following a plea by Ghag, the judge directed the sentence’s suspension till the end of the appeal period. He was directed to pay the fine.