A CBI special court in Jaipur sentenced Jalandhar Yogi, former Chief Office Superintendent of the Western Central Railways (WCR) in Gangapur City, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 for bribery on April 7, 2026.
The case was registered on June 16, 2020, after allegations arose that Yogi demanded a bribe of Rs. 11,500 to clear a pending final bill for completed work. The CBI laid a trap and apprehended Yogi while accepting Rs. 10,000 as part of the bribe from the complainant. The bribe amount was subsequently recovered from his possession. Following an investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Yogi on January 8, 2021.
After the trial, the court convicted Yogi, leading to the sentence of five years of rigorous imprisonment and the fine as stated in the CBI’s press release.
Separately, on April 5, 2026, the Delhi High Court acquitted two engineers accused of demanding a bribe of Rs. 1,800, ending a 34-year-long legal case. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to demonstrate the essential element of an illegal gratification demand and extended the benefit of doubt to the accused.
The case dated back to September 20, 1991, when Assistant Engineer VK Datta and Junior Engineer Dinesh Garg were accused of demanding Rs. 1,800 and Rs. 900 respectively as bribes to facilitate the release of alleged pending bills. The CBI arrested both officials after a trap was laid. They were convicted by a trial court in 2002, but the High Court later identified significant inconsistencies and weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.
Defence advocates argued that contradictions in witness testimonies, procedural lapses, and an absence of reliable evidence undermined the prosecution. The court noted that official muster rolls showed both accused were present at a work site at the time the alleged demand occurred, casting doubt on the prosecution’s narrative.
Furthermore, testimony from a departmental witness stated that no payment was due to the contractor at the relevant time, removing any motive for bribery. The court also highlighted timeline inconsistencies, including the simultaneous registration of the FIR and the complainant’s arrival at the CBI office, affecting the prosecution’s credibility.
Additionally, crucial witnesses including the contractor involved in the financial transactions were not examined. Inconsistent accounts regarding the recovery of the alleged bribe further weakened the case.
Reaffirming legal principles, the court stated that recovery of money alone is insufficient to uphold a corruption conviction without clear proof of demand for an illegal gratification. It emphasised that suspicion alone cannot replace proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Consequently, the High Court set aside the 2002 conviction and acquitted VK Datta and Dinesh Garg of all charges, ordering their release. The verdict concludes a protracted legal process, underscoring that justice depends on solid evidence rather than assumptions, regardless of the time taken.