Summary: Ved Prakash Maurya, initially found guilty of bribery, is cleared by the Delhi High Court because there wasn't enough evidence. The court noticed contradictions and not enough proof of bribe demand.
Back in December 2009, Ved Prakash Maurya was found guilty by a Special Judge in Delhi for asking for and taking a bribe under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He was sentenced to two years in jail and fined ₹5,000. This was based on a complaint by Vivek Gupta, who claimed that Ved Prakash Maurya asked for ₹4,000 as a bribe for handling water and sewer connections.
Vivek Gupta went to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi office in Rohini on April 5, 2006. He said Ved Prakash Maurya, who worked for the Delhi Jal Board, asked for a bribe to process connections for a property owned by Gupta's uncle. A raid was done, and the bribe money was supposedly found on Ved Prakash Maurya.
Quote: "The appellant demanded a bribe of ₹4,000/-, in addition to Government charges of ₹2,800/-."
Ved Prakash Maurya challenged his conviction, saying there was no strong evidence linking him to asking for or taking the bribe. His lawyers pointed out differences in what witnesses said and questioned the lack of documents proving the demand.
The Delhi High Court, led by Dr. Swarana Kanta Sharma, found several problems with the prosecution's case:
Quote: "The prosecution has failed to establish, beyond reasonable doubt, the foundational fact of demand of bribe."
On December 10, 2025, the court cleared Ved Prakash Maurya, saying the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove he was guilty. The decision stressed how important it is to show both the demand for and acceptance of a bribe, which the prosecution couldn't do.
Quote: "The appellant, who has been facing trial for about 20 years, is accordingly acquitted in the present case."
