3-year term for ex-chief engineer
12 Apr 2009TNN

CHANDIGARH: Special CBI judge Jagdeep Jain on Saturday handed down three-year imprisonment to former UT chief engineer KK Jerath and imposed a fine
of

Rs 50,000 on him in an 11-year-old case. Jerath, who was convicted under Prevention of Corruption Act, was released against a bail bond of Rs 50,000.

For city, this is the first time that an accused has been convicted in a disproportionate assets case. The court also ordered the confiscation of Jerath’s assets worth Rs 55 lakh.

Jerath was charged with acquiring properties in his and his family’s name with unaccounted income. When the I-T department conducted raids in November 1997 and sought to know about the disproportionate assets he possessed, Jerath failed to give a satisfactory reply. The case was then referred to Central Bureau of Investigation.

On January 9, 1998, the agency’s anti-corruption unit at New Delhi registered an FIR under Section 13 (1) (e) Prevention of Corruption Act against the UT officer.

It was alleged that Jerath’s assets, including jewellery, cash and immovable properties, that were seized during raids were worth Rs 55 lakh, which was not proportionate to his income. The CBI charged Jerath with amassing the wealth through corrupt and illegal means. Corruption charges were finally framed on September 6, 2004. A total of 92 witnesses were examined by the prosecution to prove its allegations.