Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 24 A Vigilance Court here on Friday sentenced a former Junior Health Inspector of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 to issue a trade licence.
Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court Judge Manoj A found Saritha M L (45), a resident of Poojappura and currently serving as Public Health Inspector at Neyyattinkara Municipality, guilty in the case.
The prosecution case is that the complainant had applied online in 2019 for a licence to start an interior and decoration shop in his father's name.
Saritha, who was then working as a Junior Health Inspector with the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and was entrusted with inspecting the premises and submitting a report, allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 from the complainant for furnishing a favourable inspection report.
Acting on a complaint, officers of the VACB's Thiruvananthapuram Southern Range caught her red-handed while allegedly accepting the bribe.
The charge sheet in the case was filed by former VACB Superintendent of Police R Jayashankar after an investigation conducted by former Deputy Superintendents of Police V Anil and Vinod C S.
Public Prosecutor Veena Satheesan appeared for the prosecution.
