Chhattisgarh: Retired cooperative bank officer gets five years RI in disproportionate assets case

A special court in Chhattisgarhs Janjgir Champa district has sentenced a retired officer of the district cooperative bank to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on him in a disproportionate assets case.Special judge Suresh Joon held Shrawan Singh guilty of charges under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, special public prosecutor M L Srikant said.

A special court in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir Champa district has sentenced a retired officer of the district cooperative bank to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on him in a disproportionate assets case.

Special judge Suresh Joon held Shrawan Singh guilty of charges under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, special public prosecutor M L Srikant said. State's Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had raided the premises of Singh on February 16, 2017 when he was posted as nodal officer of a cooperative bank Janjgir-Champa, which functions under Jila Sahkari Kedriya Bank Bilaspur, he said.

During the raid, movable and immovable assets worth Rs 2.02 crore were found in the name of Singh and his family members, Srikant said. Singh has retired from service.

''Considering the facts of the case, age of the accused, nature of offence, 40.11 per cent disproportionate amount, provisions of section 23 of PC Act and other circumstances of the case Singh is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for five years and fine of Rs 5 lakh imposed on him,'' the order said.

In case of non-payment of fine, the accused will further undergo imprisonment for one year, it said.

''Property worth Rs 45.21 lakh is found to be excess to the known source of income of the accused, that is 40.11 per cent disproportionate to his known source of income. So this court is of the view that the property up to the extent of aforesaid amount ought to be confiscated. Therefore, the following property be confiscated after the period of appeal and in case of appeal, as per the direction of appellate court,'' the order added.