In Brief
S.C. Goel, a Junior Engineer with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, was convicted of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000/- under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The High Court upheld the conviction but reduced the sentence to the minimum. On appeal, Goel challenged the evidence, particularly that the complainant (PW-5) turned hostile and that the chemical test was improper. The Supreme Court held that a hostile witness's evidence on specific points can be accepted if credible, and the recovery of marked notes from Goel's pocket proved acceptance. The Court dismissed the appeal, finding complete proof of demand, acceptance, and recovery.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.