Ex-magistrate convicted of taking bribe 26 years ago

Tulsiyani,who retired in 1998,was caught accepting the bribe at his residence on June 6,1986,from Ajesh Mittal who had lodged a complaint with the CBI about the bribe demand. Mittal had been issued a challan over an alleged illegality involving his firm,Mittal Paints and Chemicals,and the former magistrate had demanded the bribe to hush up the case.

After the complaint was lodged,CBI sent Mittal to Tulsiyani’s house with the money and a tape recorder. After handing over the money to the judge,Mittal came out and called CBI officers in. On seeing the team,the agency said,the judge panicked and tried to flush the money down his toilet. However,he did not succeed and was caught with the money.

While convicting the former magistrate,Special CBI Judge V K Maheshwari observed that he had failed to uphold the high ethical standards that society expects of judicial officers.

“The post of a judicial officer is a very sensitive post,where decent behaviour and honest approach towards practical dealings are expected,irrespective of whether he is functioning in a court or attending his daily routine at home… Society has deep-rooted faith in fair dealing with regard to the workings of a judicial officer,” the judge said.

“Entertaining the complainant,accused in a challan case pending in the court,at his house… raises a big question against the decorum of the judicial officer… all these circumstances taken together support the prosecution version,” the court said.