Corruption Devalues Human Rights, Undermines Justice, Liberty: Delhi Court

The Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday awarded a 4-year jail sentence to DDA's former Assistant Director and his co-accused after conviction in a corruption case.

This case pertains to fraudulently allotting DDA plots meant for JJ Dwellers to other non-existing persons on the basis of forged documents in the area of Delhi and selling the same in the open market.

A case was registered by the CBI in 2008. The case pertains to 25 plots in Alaknanda Camp in the Madanpur Khadar area of southeast Delhi.

"Corruption devalues human rights, chokes development and undermines justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, which are the co-values of our constitution, duly enshrined in its preamble," the court said while sentencing the convicts.

Special Judge Gaurav Rao sentenced Brahm Parkash (former Assistant Director, DDA) to 4 years of jail imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 60000 under different sections of the law.

The court also sentenced co-accused Ravinder Singh Sandhu to 4 years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs. 30000 under different sections of the law.

"In my considered opinion, the convicts do not deserve any leniency, and there are no mitigating circumstances as such," Special Judge Gaurav Rao said in the order.

The court held, "Accused/convict Braham Parkash, abused/misused his position as a public servant to obtain pecuniary benefit/advantage for the co-conspirators, co-accused persons."

"He being Assistant Director DDA looking after the relocation, rehabilitation scheme for the JJ dweller, misused the power, trust as was reposed in him," the judge said.

The Court noted that the questioned plots were meant for the relocation of the JJ dwellers, but in furtherance of the conspiracy hatched by him and co-accused persons, he allotted these plots in the name of fake, fictitious, non-existent persons and facilitated their sale in the open market.

The fraudulent allotment not only deprived the eligible JJ dwellers of the questioned plots, and cheated DDA but also caused unjust, unlawful enrichment to the co-accused persons, co-conspirators, on account of the sale of these plots in the open market, the court held.

"The already downtrodden members of society were targeted and deprived of the government welfare scheme. The roof or shelter over their heads was snatched by the accused. The eligible JJ dwellers were denied the right/opportunity to live with dignity," the court said on Saturday.

The court observed that the illegal and inhumane act of the accused has shaken the conscience of this court.

Convict Braham Parkash, driven by his greed, failed to maintain the purity of the public office held.

The court further said that, as far as convict Ravinder Singh Sandhu is concerned, he was a part of the conspiracy, played an active role in it, and facilitated the co-accused persons, co-conspirators, in achieving the aim, and objective of the conspiracy. He is involved in more than half a dozen cases with similar modus operandi.

The court ordered, "Therefore, considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, in my considered opinion, the interest of justice would be met if convict Braham Parkash is sentenced to simple imprisonment for 4 years along with a fine of Rs 10,000 for an offence punishable under section 120B IPC read with sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 IPC, and section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Act 1988.

The court sentenced convict Ravinder Singh Sandhu to simple imprisonment for 4 years along with a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 120B of the IPC, read with Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC, and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

He is also sentenced to simple imprisonment for 4 years along with a fine of Rs 10,000 under section 420 of the IPC, read with section 120B of the IPC and sentenced to simple imprisonment for 4 years along with a fine of Rs. 10,000 under section 468 IPC read with section 120B IPC. Braham Parkash and Sandhu were Convicted on May 29.

The CBI had registered a case in December 2008. Braham Parkash, Ravinder Singh Sandhu, and Rajwant Singh, alias Thakur, were made accused in this case. Rajwant Singh has been acquitted by the court.

The case of the prosecution is that Ashok Malhotra (expired in 2016) and Lal Mani (discharged 24.02.2016) had entered into a conspiracy with Braham Prakash, the then Assistant Director (LM-South East), Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi, and others, pursuant to which they fraudulently got allotted 25 plots in the Alaknanda Camp resettlement scheme of DDA at Madanpur Khadar, Delhi, during the year 2002 on the strength of fake documents such as ration cards, Delhi Administration identity cards, etc. that were prepared by them for the purpose of said fraudulent allotment of plots.

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