MP High Court admits Lokayukta appeal against acquittal of ameen Hetram Kol in bribe case

Hetram Kol, an ameen in the Irrigation Department in Madhya Pradesh, who was acquitted in a bribery trap case in November 2025, will face an appeal against that acquittal after the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur granted the Special Police Establishment, Lokayukta, leave to appeal on 23 October 2026. The court admitted the appeal for final hearing and said it was expressing no final opinion on the merits of the acquittal.

What Happened

According to the judgment, a complainant told the Lokayukta in July 2019 that the ameen was demanding Rs 2,000 to help with a lease of land in the catchment area of a dam. The Lokayukta alleged that he accepted four Rs 500 notes coated with phenolphthalein, a chemical used to mark trap money, and that the notes were recovered from his shirt pocket before he was arrested.

A special court under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 acquitted him on 29 November 2025 of charges under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) read with 13(2). Per the judgment, the trial court accepted his defence that the money was a fine of Rs 2,000 owed by the complainant. His counsel argued before the High Court that a complainant had denied any bribe demand and that the shirt itself was not sent for chemical tests.

The High Court held that the recovery of the notes, the recorded conversation and the complainant's earlier testimony raised an arguable case. It said a government fine is ordinarily deposited in the prescribed office against an official receipt, and that the defence needed examination on that point. The appeal is listed for final hearing in December 2026.

These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues. The acquittal stands unless the High Court reverses it after the final hearing.

What It Means

The order shows that an acquittal in a corruption trap case can be re-examined on appeal when the High Court finds an arguable case, even after a complainant gives an inconsistent account at trial. Leave to appeal is only permission to argue the case; it is not a finding against the accused.

Citizens asked for a bribe by an official can report it to their state's anti-corruption bureau or Lokayukta. Oquilia's guide lists every state's helpline: https://www.oquilia.com/report-a-bribe

Source: High Court judgment