Delhi High Court Acquits Engineers Convicted of Bribery After 23 Years

Original: Not guilty, says Delhi HC 23 years after judge convicted 2 engineers for bribery

Hindustan Times•Apr 5, 20263 min

In a Nutshell

The Delhi High Court overturned the 2002 conviction of two engineers from the city's flood control department, who were accused of accepting bribes in 1991. The court found insufficient evidence to support their guilt, emphasizing the lack of crucial witness testimonies and inconsistencies in the prosecution's case.

Key Points

01Delhi High Court acquitted two engineers convicted of bribery after 23 years.
02The court cited unsatisfactory evidence and lack of crucial witness testimonies.
03The engineers were originally convicted in 2002 and sentenced to two years in prison.
04The alleged bribe amount was ₹1,800, with claims of no outstanding dues from the contractor.
05The engineers' defense argued they were falsely implicated and not present during the alleged incident.

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Full Summary

The Delhi High Court has acquitted two engineers, VK Datta and Dinesh Garg, who were convicted in 2002 for accepting a bribe of ₹1,800 in 1991. Justice Chandrashekharan Sudha ruled that the trial court's conviction was based on unsatisfactory evidence and highlighted the failure to examine crucial witnesses, including the contractor involved. The court noted inconsistencies in the prosecution's case, particularly regarding the absence of any outstanding dues owed to the contractor at the time of the alleged bribe. The engineers, represented by advocates Sameer Chandra and Sunil Dalal, argued that they were falsely implicated and had been at an inspection site rather than their office when the demand was supposedly made. The High Court's decision underscores the importance of concrete evidence in corruption cases.

Key Figures