In Brief
Sharanappa, a Block Development Officer, was convicted of cheating and forgery under Sections 420 and 468 IPC for issuing cheques under a government Million Wells Scheme. The Supreme Court set aside his conviction, holding that he merely issued cheques based on verification reports submitted by the competent Junior Engineer and had no role in sanctioning the loan or entering agreements. The actual sanctioning authority was the Engineering Department, not the appellant. Without independent evidence of personal culpability or collusion, conviction could not stand. His predecessor was acquitted on identical grounds on remand.
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