Bathinda RTI activist gets one-yr jail in graft case

Chandigarh, August 24

A local court has sentenced RTI activist Gurdev Singh, a resident of Bathinda district, to undergo one year imprisonment after convicting him in a graft case registered six years ago. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 500 on the convict.

The police registered the case against the accused under Section 384 of the IPC on the complaint filed by then Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), Punjab, Swaran Singh Channi, on March 12, 2018.

In a complaint to the UT SSP, the then CIC said Preety Chawla, State Information Commissioner, Punjab, had brought to his notice that Gurdev had taken Rs 10,000 as bribe from a person, Pritam Singh, principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Mandi Kalan, Bathinda district, on the premises of State Information Commission, Punjab.

The complainant alleged that Gurdev met him in the office and asked him to give some money for withdrawing the appeal which was to be heard on that day by the information commission. He further threatened him that if he does not give money, then he would get him dismissed from job. He then asked him to give Rs 10,000.

During the hearing of the case Gurdev told the commission that he had got the required information and requested that the case might be closed.

The principal stated that he had taken a photocopy of the notes of the graft money and subsequently brought the incident to the notice of the Commissioner. The police investigated the case and a challan was filed in the court.

After hearing the arguments the court sentenced the RTI activist to undergo one-year imprisonment.