New Delhi, May 16 (IANS): A Delhi court on Monday handed a four-year jail term to a official at the Delhi Conservator of Forest, West's office, for allegedly accepting a bribe to expedite an application for the removal of trees for a building project.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Dinesh Kumar.

The court said: "The offences under POC (Prevention of Corruption) Act by a public servant are offences of serious nature and appropriate deterrent punishment ought to be awarded in such cases, which can act as a deterrent not only to the convict but also to others."

The prosecution told the court that in 2016, while the accused was employed by the DCF, West, Birla Mandir Lane, he demanded a bribe from Sunil Tomar for processing and advancing a request for felling two trees for a construction in Moti Nagar of Rs 2 lakh, which he later reduced to Rs 1 lakh.

On April 21, 2016, the accused was apprehended while taking an instalment of Rs. 40,000 from Tomar, the prosecution further claimed.