Sikkim HC upheld conviction of EX- Chief Minister of Sikkim
Hon’ble Sikkim High Court upheld the conviction of The Then Chief Minister of Sikkim and others
The Hon’ble Sikkim High Court has upheld the conviction of Shri Nar Bahadur Bhandari, the then Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri P.K. Pradhan (IAS), the then Secretary, Rural Development Deptt., Govt. of Sikkim and others U/s 120(B) IPC and Section 5(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. However, the sentence of simple imprisonment of six months passed by the trial court has been reduced to one month with a fine of Rs 5000/- as more then 27 years have passed since the commission of the offence and during the interregnum, the appellant had no doubt suffered in body and mind. While against the other accused, the sentence of imprisonment was set aside and sentence of payment of fine remained unaltered. Sentence against 4 of the private parties was set aside.
The CBI had registered a case in 1984 against Shri Nar Bahadur Bhandari, former Chief Minister of Sikkim and others including Shri Puran kumar Pradhan, IAS, then Secretary Rural Development Department, Government of Sikkim; Gangtok (who later become Chief Secretary of State) for entering into a criminal conspiracy during year of 1983 -84 by abusing their official position as a public servants in the matter of awarding the contract on higher rates in Rural Water Supply Scheme to private contractors by which wrongful loss was caused to Government and corresponding wrongful gain to private Contractors.
The CBI filed charge sheet in the year 1994 and charges were framed in the year 2002 against the accused.
The case ended in conviction in the court of Special Judge, Gangtok on 25.10.2008. The accused persons filed an appeal before the Sikkim High Court. Hon’ble Sikkim High Court has on 9.08.2011, upheld the conviction.
As per the directions of the Hon’ble High Court Shri Nar Bahadur Bhandari surrendered before the Special Judge, PC Act, Gangtok and has been subsequently sent to Judicial Custody.
CBI Press Release
New Delhi , 10-08-2011
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