Postal Assistant Sentenced to Three Years’ Imprisonment with ₹15,000 Fine; Sub Post Master Gets Six Months in Jail with ₹5,000 Fine
Lucknow, October 14: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Lucknow has convicted and sentenced two postal officials posted at Sub Post Office Kunda in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh in a bribery case involving the alleged demand of illegal gratification from a commission agent.
According to a CBI press release dated October 13, 2026, the court delivered its verdict on October 12, convicting Postal Assistant Suraj Prasad Mishra and Sub Post Master Santosh Kumar Saroj for their involvement in the bribery case.
The court sentenced Suraj Prasad Mishra, Postal Assistant, to three years of imprisonment along with a fine of ₹15,000. Santosh Kumar Saroj, Sub Post Master, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and a fine of ₹5,000.
Officials Allegedly Demanded Bribe Under the Pretext of ‘Suvidha Kharch’
The CBI registered the case on November 30, 2019, against the two accused officials following allegations that they had entered into a criminal conspiracy to demand illegal gratification from a commission agent.
The accused allegedly demanded a fixed payment of ₹100 for every ₹20,000 deposited into Recurring Deposit (RD) accounts. The amount was reportedly described as “Suvidha Kharch.”
According to the allegations, the officials threatened to obstruct the commission agent’s work if the demanded money was not paid, thereby allegedly pressuring the agent to comply with their demand.
CBI Trap Leads to Postal Assistant’s Arrest
During the investigation, the CBI laid a trap on November 30, 2019, and caught Suraj Prasad Mishra red-handed while he was allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹1,000 for processing a deposit of ₹2,00,040.
Following the investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Santosh Kumar Saroj and Suraj Prasad Mishra on December 31, 2019.
After completion of the trial, the court convicted both accused and pronounced their respective sentences.
The case highlights the role of anti-corruption investigations in addressing alleged bribery and misuse of official positions in public service delivery.(KNC)
