JAMMU: 1st Additional Sessions Judge Jammu MA Chowdhary today awarded four years imprisonment and fine Rs 2 lakh to Rajinder Nath Rain then Executive Engineer. According to the case on the basis of communication No.CE/PMM/Acctts/5746-48 dated 18.11.2002 sent by Chief Engineer (Procurement & Material Management) Power Development Department Govt of J&K, Jammu to Inspector General of Police Crime & Railways Jammu alleging therein that audit party of Accountant General J&K Srinagar while conducting audit of his office had pointed out that date of birth recorded in the service book of Rajinder Nath Raina Executive Engineer/Technical Officer seems to have been obliterated ; that his office referred the matter to the State Board of School Education for clarification of the particulars of the retired officer including date of birth and the Joint Secretary (Verification) State Board of School Education had confirmed the date of birth of the officer as 26.07.1942 instead of 26.07.1944 as recorded in the service book of the said officer; that on receiving clarification the matter was referred to the Administrative Department for further necessary action which in turn vide letter No. PDD-V/36/96 dated 21.10.2002 had asked to refer the matter to the Crime Branch for investigation to ascertain the actual date of birth of retired Executive Engineer, a case was registered at Police Station Crime Branch Jammu vide FIR No.16/2004 for the commission of offences punishable under sections 420/467/468 RPC . During investigation and on verification from the Board of School Education , it was concluded that actual date of birth of Rajinder Nath Raina was 26.07.1942 and the entry of date of birth has been interpolated to 26.07.1944 and he had drawn an amount of Rs. 5,20,774 from the public exchequer whereas as per actual date of birth he was to retire on 31.07.2000.
1st Additional Sessions Judge Jammu M A Chowdhary after hearing APP Ajay Singh Manhas appearing for the state whereas Adv CS Azad appearing for the accused observed that the facts and circumstances of the case and protracted trial since January 2006 to August 2016, where the attendance of accused on each date of hearing, is almost equivalent to judicial custody on that day, this court is of the considered opinion that it would appropriate that the accused is sentenced to four years of imprisonment and fine of Rs.2,00,000 for commission of offence punishable under section 471 RPC. JNF