Siliguri, 27th February: The Special CBI Court in Siliguri has convicted Central Excise Superintendent Achinta Kumar Pramanik in a ₹30,000 bribery case and sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of ₹40,000. The verdict comes nearly a decade after the case was registered.
The case dates back to 2015, when a factory owner from Cooch Behar district, Dhananjay Das, lodged a complaint alleging that the accused had demanded ₹1 lakh as bribe.
Acting on the complaint, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) laid a trap. As per the plan, the complainant agreed to pay ₹60,000 against the alleged demand of ₹1 lakh. The CBI team caught the accused red-handed while accepting ₹30,000 as part of the bribe.
The trial was conducted at the Special CBI Court in Siliguri. Based on witness testimonies, recovered cash and other evidence, the court found Achintya Kumar Pramanik guilty under Sections 7 and 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
In its observation, the court stated that corruption by public servants has a serious impact on society and the justice system, and therefore such offences cannot be treated with leniency.
The court ordered four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹40,000. It also clarified that the convict has the right to file an appeal before the High Court against the judgment.