Bengaluru: The high court has upheld the conviction and sentencing of MK Manjanna, a head constable at Bagalagunte police station, who was caught in 2017, accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a complainant in exchange for closing a criminal case. The trial court had sentenced him to four years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. While acknowledging minor contradictions in the case, the high court observed the key elements — demand and acceptance of the bribe — were clearly established, which was sufficient to affirm the trial court’s verdict.On July 15, 2017, Manjanna was trapped when he was allegedly receiving the money from complainant Raja alias Andrews to close a pending criminal case against him. Thereafter, the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) conducted an investigation and filed the chargesheet.On Sept 29, 2021, the special court held Manjanna guilty and imposed rigorous imprisonment for a period of three years with a fine of Rs 50,000 for the offence punishable under Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and four years with a fine of Rs 50,000 for the offence punishable under Sections 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the PC Act.Challenging the same, Manjanna claimed there was no official work pending with him in relation to the complainant and added that mere recovery of money does not amount to an offence as he was only asked to remove the phenolphthalein-soaked money kept in a cover. According to him, the ingredients of Sections 7 and 13 of the PC Act cannot be invoked as there is no demand and acceptance, and the prosecution has not proved the case.However, Justice HP Sandesh pointed out that there is indeed a demand and acceptance, and also the FSL report pertaining to the voice sample of the recorded phone conversation goes against the accused-appellant, i.e., Manjanna. Minor discrepancies regarding the recovery of money will not go to the very root of the prosecution case, and the benefit of doubt cannot be extended in favour of the accused only on minor discrepancies, the judge added, while rejecting the appeal.BOX Lokayukta police arrests 2 BBMP engineersBengaluru: The Lokayukta sleuths arrested two engineers of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Wednesday evening when they accepted Rs 5 lakh bribe from a person to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) for electricity supply.The officials are identified as assistant executive engineer of Hebbal sub-division, Madhava Rao, 40, and assistant engineer of RMV extension, Surendra.According to police, a person named Sanjay filed a complaint against the two officials, who demanded Rs 10 lakh bribe from him. Sanjay, who owns a building, approached BBMP to issue an NOC to Bescom to resume the power connection.Surendra demanded Rs 10 lakh and told Sanjay the amount would be shared with the AEE. As per the instructions of Lokayukta police, Sanjay took Rs 5 lakh and gave it to Surendra in his office. After receiving the money, Surendra called Rao and informed him that he received Rs 5 lakh. The sleuths in plain clothes immediately caught and subsequently arrested Rao from his office.A case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and further investigation is in progress.