Two sub-registrars, accused of demanding and accepting bribe through an agent way back in 2005, will now have to face the trial as the High Court of Karnataka has set aside an order passed by the trial court, which in 2017 discharged them from the alleged offence citing lack of sanction by the government for their prosecution.
However, the High Court in its recent order has found that the trial court had jumped to a hasty conclusion that the government had in 2006 rejected the request of the Lokayukta police for sanction for their prosecution.
Justice H.B. Prabhakara Sastry passed the order while allowing an appeal filed by the Lokayukta police challenging the trial court’s order.
The High Court has now directed the trial court to complete the trial within six months against Venkatesh Bhat and K.R. Renuka Prasad, both were serving as sub-registrars of Jayanagar in Bengaluru during 2005, L.V. Shadakshasri, who was then working as First Division Assistance in the sub-registrar’s office, and S. Nataraj, a stamp paper vendor and an agent of the sub-registrars.
On going through the records, the High Court found that the government did not reject the request for sanction for prosecution but only ordered a departmental enquiry against the sub-registrars. However, in 2008 the government did grant the sanction for their prosecution but it contained certain typographical error. Following this, a fresh sanction order was passed in July 2010.
The Lokayukta police, acting on a complaint had caught the agent red-handed while accepting bribe amount of ₹18,000 from the complainant in connection with registration of a sale deed.
