Chhattisgarh: A bribe of ₹100, after 39 years the court declared him innocent… by then everything was ruined now…

An incident has emerged from Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, that will bring tears to your eyes. Here, a false accusation changed the entire life of 83-year-old Jageshwar Prasad Awadhiya. In 1986, he was accused of accepting a bribe of ₹100. The accusation cost him his job, family, and even his dignity.

However, now, after 39 years, he has received justice. The High Court completely acquitted him. However, justice was delayed a little, and by then, his life had been irreparably damaged. Now, Awadhiya is demanding his pending pension and financial assistance from the government so that he can live his remaining days in peace.

₹100 Bribe, 39 Years Later, the Court Acquits Him
This entire incident occurred in 1986. At that time, Jageshwar Prasad was a billing assistant at the Raipur office of the Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (MPSRTC). An employee, Ashok Kumar Verma, pressured him to clear his outstanding bill. However, Jageshwar flatly refused to do so. The next day, Verma tried to bribe him with 20 rupees, but Jageshwar refused.

He did not accept the bribe
After which, Verma again forcibly stuffed 100 rupees into his pocket. Meanwhile, the vigilance team raided the place and he was arrested. Jageshwar believes this was a well-planned conspiracy. During the arrest, his hands were washed with chemicals. The notes were also presented as evidence. He continued to profess his innocence.

Lost his job, his wife too
Following this incident, he was suspended from 1988 to 1994. He was then transferred to Rewa. His salary was halved. Promotions and increments were also stopped. The family faced financial hardship. His wife also passed away due to the stress. Society scorned him as the family of a bribe-taker.

The journey from the trial court to the High Court
In 2004, the trial court convicted him in this case, sentencing him to one year in prison and a fine of 1,000 rupees. He subsequently appealed to the High Court. Recently, the court stated that no concrete evidence of bribery had been presented. The court overturned the trial court’s decision, citing insufficient witnesses and documents. After 39 years, Jageshwar was acquitted.