A court in Burhanpur has sentenced Lakhanlal Kaithwas, the former cooperative bank manager of Khaknar, to three years of imprisonment for demanding a bribe in connection with a goat rearing scheme. The court also imposed a fine of ₹5,000 on him under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The judgment was delivered by Special Judge Surya Prakash Sharma in a case registered by the Lokayukta office in Indore. District Public Prosecutor Kailashnath Gautam provided details of the case, which involved the accused demanding a bribe to release funds approved under the Bharat Uday Yojana.
Complaint and Investigation
The case began when Kishore Jaykar, the complainant, approached the Lokayukta office in Indore. He reported that he had applied for a loan under the Bharat Uday Yojana for goat rearing. The scheme involved a total amount of ₹77,456, where 50% was a grant and the remaining was a loan. The application was approved and processed through the cooperative society in Khaknar.
However, despite the approval, the funds remained unwithdrawn in the bank account for an extended period. When Kishore approached Lakhanlal Kaithwas to release the grant and loan amount, the accused demanded a bribe of ₹4,000 to process the payment.
Acting on the complaint, the Lokayukta registered a First Information Report (FIR) after recording the accused’s voice demanding the bribe.
Trap and Evidence
To gather evidence, the Lokayukta team prepared a trap. They applied a special powder on the currency notes and sent Kishore to hand over the bribe to the accused. However, sensing the Lokayukta’s involvement, Kaithwas refused to accept the money.
Despite this, the Lokayukta team proceeded with the investigation based on the recorded conversation and matched the accused’s voice with forensic analysis.
Court Verdict
After thorough investigation and the presentation of evidence in court, including the recorded voice demanding the bribe, the Special Judge sentenced Kaithwas to three years of imprisonment. The court highlighted the importance of maintaining integrity in public service and issued the sentence to deter corruption.
Inspector Rahul Gajbhiye of the Lokayukta Organization Indore conducted the initial investigation, which played a crucial role in securing the conviction.
This case serves as a reminder of the state’s commitment to combating corruption and ensuring justice for citizens affected by unethical practices.
