Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 11: The then second division assistant of district registrar's office here, David Antony Cruz, who had been accused of accepting bribe by offering to bring down GPA fine, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment. The court which found that allegation against Cruz had been proved, also imposed fine on him.

It is said that the accused had demanded bribe of Rs 8,000 from a person named Ramachandra during January 2012, by promising to slash fine payable on GPA in 2012. When he was accepting this bribe, the then Lokayukta inspector, Uday Nayak, had led a raid during which the accused was caught red-handed. Judge of the third additional district and sessions court here, B Muraleedhar Pai, who conducted hearing in the case, found that the charges levelled were proved.

The judge imposed two years imprisonment under section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act apart from fine of Rs 15,000, and additional two years of rigorous impirsonment under section 13 (1) apart from fine of Rs 15,000. Cruz currently works as sub-registrar at Vittal.

Special public prosecutor and advocate, K S N Rajesh, had appeared in the case on behalf of Lokayukta.