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The Supreme Court on Friday expressed the opinion that corruption matters must be dealt with strictly and the convicted public servants need not necessarily be awarded simple imprisonment, particularly because the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 does not specify this description.
The bench of Justices D. Y. Chandrachud and M. R. Shah was hearing an SLP against a September, 2020 decision of the Karnataka High Court upholding the Special Court's conviction of the petitioner under sections 7 (the unamended section 7 as it stood at the relevant time; 'Penalty for the offence of Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act'), 13(1)(d) and 13(2) (the unamended section 13 as it stood at the relevant time; 'Criminal Misconduct by a Public servant') of the PC Act, and confirming the order of simple imprisonment for a period of six months with fine for the offence punishable under Section 7, but reducing the quantum of the sentence, in view of his old age, to one and half year from two years of simple imprisonment under Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2).