Spl court sentences inspector to three-year RI for graft

Spl court sentences inspector to three-year RI for graft

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:15.1`2.2021

A special court dealing with Prevention of Corruption Act cases found a former police inspector guilty of corruption and sentenced him to three years rigorous imprisonment. DVAC searches found he had amassed wealth 370% more than his known sources of income.

Mohammed Nazeer joined the police department in 1987 as a sub-inspector. According to the prosecution, the DVAC (Directorate of Vigilance and anti-corruption) received a complaint about Nazeer possessing disproportionate assets while he was an inspector with the Prohibition and enforcement wing in Tiruvallur district in 2009.

DVAC verified his assets from 1999 to 2006 and found that he and his wife had amassed wealth to the extent of Rs 22 lakh but could not account for it satisfactorily. During the check period, Nazeer’s income was only about Rs 6 lakh, the prosecution submitted.

His wife was a homemaker with no income and she abetted Nazeer in amassing the wealth by agreeing to register properties in her name, the prosecution stated. The prosecution submitted the final report before the court in 2012.

In response, the inspector denied the charges and his counsel submitted that Nazeer and his wife were not in good terms and had been living separately. The property registered in her name was from the money given by her family members.

After perusing documents submitted by both sides, the court noted that Nazeer could not submit anything to substantiate his contention that he separated from his wife within one year of marriage and noted that during crossexamination, his wife had said that had been living for 16 years as a couple.

Based on the evidence, the former inspector was sentenced to three years imprisonment and his wife to one year imprisonment. The properties acquired are to be confiscated by the state, the court said.