Health officer to go to jail in corruption case, 20 yrs after retirement

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A retired health officer of the Karnataka Government will have to serve jail term at the age of 77. The High Court upheld his conviction in a corruption case sending him to jail twenty years after his retirement.

His criminal appeal in the High Court was pending since 2011 and Justice K Natarajan gave his judgement on it on May 22, 2023. Dr Siddagangaiah is a retired health and family welfare officer, now residing in Tumakuru. He is now 77 years of age. He was charged under Section 7 and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and a Special Judge for PC Act cases found him guilty in an order dated July 13, 2011.

Siddagangaiah approached the HC against this judgment. Siddagangaiah had been found guilty and sentenced to 9 months rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5,000 under Section 7 of the PC Act and one year rigorous imprisonment and Rs.5,000 fine under Section 13(2) of the PC Act.

Trapped with bribe money

The original allegation against Siddagangaiah dates back to 2005. One Gnanaprakash who was working as a medical officer alleged harassment and demand for money at the hands of Siddagangaiah. Siddagangaiah wrote to the Deputy Commissioner against Gananaprakash leading to the suspension of the latter.

To get the suspension revoked Siddagangaiah allegedly demanded a Rs.15,000 bribe. Gnanaprakash approached the Lokayukta police who laid a trap for Siddagangaiah. Siddagangaiah was caught with the bribe money. After the trial the court found him guilty. The HC found that the trial court was right in convicting Siddagangaiah.

“I am of the view that the prosecution has succeeded in proving the demand and acceptance of illegal gratification by the accused for doing official favour. The accused has misused the official position which is punishable under the PC Act. The trial Court has considered all the aspects and has rightly convicted the accused and sentenced to undergo imprisonment,” the HC said. The HC said that the judgment of conviction passed by the trial Court does not call for interference. The advocate for Siddagangaiah submitted that he had retired in 2005 itself and was now 77 years of age and therefore his sentence should be reduced.

The HC considered it and said, “Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and by looking at the age of the accused, the order and sentence passed by the trial Court under Section 7 of the PC Act is to be reduced to six months from nine months, which is the minimum sentence. In respect of the sentence passed under Section 13(1) (d) read with Section 13(2) of the PC Act, the sentence passed by the trial Court remains the same.”