In Brief
A public servant convicted of corruption in 1991 for accepting a bribe of Rs. 1200 to shield someone from arrest appealed against his sentence. The High Court had reduced his jail term to one year concurrent on both charges. The Supreme Court held that special reasons justify further reduction of sentence under the Prevention of Corruption Act's proviso, given the appellant's age (78 years), health conditions, 34-year delay in proceedings, minimal time already served (1 month 10 days), and bribe amount. The Court reduced jail time to time already served and increased the fine from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 10,000, allowing the appellant to avoid further imprisonment if the enhanced fine is paid within three months."
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