Sentence/sentencing – Suspension of sentence – Payment of enhanced fine – Grant of bail – Wife of the appellant was the Minister for Social Welfare and Nutritious Meals Scheme, who registered two trusts, wherein the appellant and his mother-in-law were appointed as trustees – Appellant, his wife, and the other co-accused misappropriated grant-in-aid funds for their own benefits, which were meant to be used for institutions for specially-abled children – Trial court convicted and sentenced them – Appellant and his wife filed appeal before the High Court – Appeal of the co-accused wife stood abated on her death – High Court rejected the appeal of the appellant – Challenge to:
Held: Findings of the trial court and the appellate court regarding the charges of criminal misconduct and criminal breach of trust and misappropriation attributed to co-accused wife have attained finality – Appellant, now about 68 years old, is repenting and in order to show his bona fides has volunteered to deposit an enhanced fine of Rs.5 crores which may be utilised for the benefit of the specially-abled children – In view thereof, the appellant to be released on bail subject to terms and conditions – Appellant to file an undertaking that he would deposit the balance amount of enhanced fine with the Registry of the Supreme Court and on failure to do so, the bail would be cancelled automatically – Entire amount of Rs.5 crores to be transmitted to the account of the State Legal Services Authority to be invested in an interest-bearing fixed deposit account in a Nationalised bank – Juvenile Justice Committee of the High Court of Tamil Nadu to utilise the interest generated from this amount for the benefit of the Government established/operated childcare institutions in the State – Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. [Paras 9, 10, 14-17 ]
As published in the Supreme Court Reports, Supreme Court of India. Headnotes prepared by: Nidhi Jain. Text from the Indian Supreme Court Judgments open data set (Dattam Labs), CC BY 4.0.
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