Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Madhya Pradesh High Court Upholds Acquittal in 30-Year Bribery Case
A land revenue officer was accused of asking for Rs 300 as a bribe.
The money was allegedly connected to issuing a duplicate land record.
The case began about 30 years ago.
The officer’s lawyer said the complainant already owed Rs 325 in government fees.
The lawyer said the money was paid toward those fees, not as a bribe.
The court also found that witnesses gave different accounts about the alleged demand.
It said simply finding marked money was not enough to prove bribery.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court therefore kept the officer’s earlier acquittal in place.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld the acquittal of a land revenue officer accused of demanding Rs 300.
The money was allegedly sought to issue a duplicate land record.
The court said recovery of tainted cash alone was insufficient to prove bribery.
The officer’s counsel said Rs 325 was already due as government revenue and the payment was not a bribe.
Justice Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar dismissed the state’s appeal on September 19, citing conflicting witness accounts and possible resentment between the parties.
- Who
- A land revenue officer, the complainant, the state, and the Madhya Pradesh High Court were involved.
- What
- The High Court upheld the officer’s acquittal in a Rs 300 bribery case.
- When
- The High Court ruling was issued on September 19; the trial court acquittal was dated December 1997.
- Where
- The case was decided by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
- Why
- The court found that recovery of cash alone did not prove bribery, government dues were pending, and witnesses differed on key details.
State’s Case
Officer’s Defense
Nature of the payment
State’s Case
The officer was accused of demanding Rs 300 as a bribe to issue a duplicate land record.
Officer’s Defense
The officer’s counsel argued that the money was paid toward Rs 325 already owed as government revenue, not as a bribe.
Evidence of bribery
State’s Case
The state appealed after the officer was acquitted in the trial court, relying on the recovery of the allegedly tainted cash.
Officer’s Defense
The court held that recovery of tainted cash alone was insufficient and noted differences in witness accounts.
Relationship between the parties
State’s Case
The accusation presented the payment as an illegal demand by the officer.
Officer’s Defense
The court said the circumstances raised the possibility of resentment and a grudge between the complainant and the official.
- Accused
- A land revenue officer
- Alleged bribe
- Rs 300
- Government dues cited
- Rs 325
- Related task
- Issuing a duplicate land record
- Trial court outcome
- Acquittal in December 1997
- High Court outcome
- State’s appeal dismissed and acquittal upheld
- Presiding judge
- Justice Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar