DA case: Ex-engineer of water supply board gets one year RI

Hyderabad: A local court Thursday sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment (RI) a former Assistant Engineer in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) in a disproportionate assets case.

Principal special judge for ACB cases, Victor Immanuel, Thursday convicted P Venkatesham and sentenced him to under rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on him.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had registered a case against Venkatesham under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act in November 2002 on the charge that he had acquired assets disproportionate to the known sources of him income, by indulging in corrupt practices.

"The case was investigated and a charge sheet was filed against the accused officer on September 21, 2005 before a ACB Court, ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police J Ashok Kumar said.

In default of payment of fine Rs 30,000, Venkatesham shall undergo simple imprisonment for three months for the offence.

Consequently, the officer is also directed to deposit within four months (from the date of judgement) the amount of Rs 30,00,500 towards the value of disproportionate assets found in his possession, failing which, the asset shall be auctioned and the sale proceeds shall be confiscated to the state, the ACB DSP said.