Kerala court sentences Ex policeman to 4 years of imprisonment for taking bribe

A Kerala court on Saturday sentenced a former grade Sub-Inspector of police to four years of imprisonment in a case booked for taking bribes to release a two-wheeler involved in a road accident and issuing an FIR copy.

A Kerala court on Saturday sentenced a former grade Sub-Inspector of police to four years of imprisonment in a case booked for taking bribes to release a two-wheeler involved in a road accident and issuing an FIR copy. Kollam Special Judge (Vigilance) Mohit C S sentenced R Mohanan to three years under section 7 (offence relating to public servant being bribed) and four years under section 13 (criminal misconduct by a public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on him. According to the prosecution, led by public prosecutor Siju Rajan, Mohanan took Rs 1,500 from the complainant to issue an FIR of the road accident and Rs 2,000 for releasing the two-wheeler involved in the incident. He was caught accepting the bribe in a trap laid by the vigilance officials, the prosecution said. The prosecution has also told the court that Mohanan had also demanded bribes for registering a crime in connection with the accident and issuing a copy of the mahazar in the said matter. Mohanan, during the trial, had denied the accusations and claimed he had never taken any bribe during his 30 year long police service. He had retired from service in 2016. After hearing both sides, the court convicted and sentenced Mohanan (63) for the offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, saying that he accepted the illegal gratification inside a police station during his duty hours and while in official uniform. ''Further the bribe or illegal gratification was demanded and accepted by him for carrying out an official duty as a responsible police officer of the state who was duty bound to prevent illegalities including corruption,'' the court said. As the court said the sentences shall run concurrently, Mohanan will only have to serve the four year sentence, with the one week time he was in judicial custody being set off against the period of imprisonment.

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