Bribery Unveiled: Engineer Sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment

Martin Antony, a former Assistant Engineer, was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for accepting a Rs 15,000 bribe to expedite a building permit process in Kottayam. Caught by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Antony faced charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In a significant legal verdict, a court in Kottayam sentenced Martin Antony, a former Assistant Engineer, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment on Saturday. He was found guilty of accepting a bribe to approve a building permit.

Antony, who formerly served at the Kumaranalloor Zonal Office and is currently with Budhanoor Grama Panchayat, was fined Rs 1.5 lakhs by the Kottayam Vigilance Court. He was found guilty under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act for demanding and accepting a Rs 15,000 bribe back in 2014.

The case began when a complainant applied for a hotel building permit on his land at Neelimangalam. The process, initially handled by Kumaranalloor Grama Panchayat, moved to Kottayam Municipality after a merger. Antony demanded a bribe to expedite the file, leading to his capture by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau while in the act. Public Prosecutor K K Sreekanth represented the VACB, and Antony is now detained in Thiruvananthapuram Central Jail.

(With inputs from agencies.)