Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 13: Prem Singh Naik, the panchayat development officer of Aithur gram panchayat in Kadaba taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, has been sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment and fined Rs 50,000 in a corruption case. The verdict was pronounced by the honorable third additional district and sessions special court, Mangaluru, on December 13.

The case pertained to an incident on June 3, 2019, when Prem Singh Naik allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 9,000 related to a 9/11 registration. A case was registered under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment Act 2018), at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) police station, Mangaluru, with case number 05/2019. Following a successful trap operation, the accused was arrested.

After the trial (Special Case No. 170/2020), the court sentenced the accused to three years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. In case of non-payment of the fine, the accused will face an additional one-month simple imprisonment.

The investigation was led by inspector Shyam Sundar HM, who submitted the chargesheet against the accused to the special court. Ravindra Munnipadi, special public prosecutor, Karnataka Lokayukta, Mangaluru, represented the government in the case.

This judgment is seen as a significant step in curbing corruption in the district.