A former Assistant Engineer of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a 14-year-old bribery case. Yogesh Arora, the convict, was posted in LIC’s Jabalpur office at the time of the offence. In August 2011, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Arora after receiving a complaint that he had demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a contractor.
The contractor had completed electrical maintenance work worth Rs 93,000 and had pending bills of Rs 35,000-Rs 40,000. Arora had demanded the bribe in exchange for clearing the bills. The CBI laid a trap and caught Arora red-handed while accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant. The agency filed a chargesheet in January 2012 after completing the investigation.
The trial was prolonged, but the special CBI judge finally pronounced the verdict on September 3, 2025, holding Arora guilty of corruption. In addition to the four-year prison term, Arora has been fined Rs 10,000. The court’s decision is a significant step in combating corruption and ensuring accountability among public officials.
The case highlights the importance of the CBI’s role in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases. The agency’s efforts in laying a trap and gathering evidence helped to build a strong case against Arora. The conviction and sentencing of Arora serve as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to engage in corrupt practices.
It is worth noting that the case took 14 years to reach its conclusion, which is a significant amount of time. The delay in the trial and the subsequent verdict highlights the need for a more efficient and speedy justice system in India. Nevertheless, the outcome of the case is a positive step towards combating corruption and promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions.