Two health department officials get 4-yr jail in bribe case

Kota: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court of Kota on Monday sentenced a clerk and a cashier of health department of Jhalawar district in a 16-year-old bribery case to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on each of them.

The duo, along with another clerk of the office, the case against whom was dropped due to his death during the trial, were in June 2001 arrested after the two clerks and the cashier had accepted a bribe of Rs 500 each and Rs 200, respectively for sanctioning pay bill of a nurse of the department.

ACB court Judge Ashwani Vij, on Monday convicted Ram Kalyan Meena, a clerk and Kelash Chand, a cashier, both posted Jhalawar to four years of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 15000 over each of the two public servants, told Ahsaan Ahamed, assistant director prosecution (ADP), ACB court, Kota. Another clerk of the office identified as Om Prakesh was also accused in the matter but the case against him was dropped after his death during the trail, he said. The two clerks and the cashier were in June 2001 were arrested by ACB sleuth immediately after each of the two clerks and cashier had accepted a bribe of Rs 500 and Rs 200, respectively from one Rama Kumawat, a nurse posted at sub centre of Pindola village under Manhore Thana community health centre (CHC) in Jhalawar district, the ADP said. The three public servants had demanded the bribe amount from the nurse for sanctioning her pay bills of five months, he added.

The statements of at least 18 witnesses were recorded in the trail that lasted around 16 years, the ADP said.

The clerk Ram Kalyan Meena and Kelash Chand, the cashier, who are still in service and posted in chief medical and health office in Jhalawar, were yesterday evening sent to jail after the conviction, he said.