A former police constable accused of accepting a bribe of Rs. 20 spent nearly three decades fighting a corruption case, only to be acquitted by the Gujarat High Court a day before he died of a heart attack
In 1996, Babubhai Prajapati was serving as a police constable in Ahmedabad when a case was registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegation claimed he had accepted a bribe of Rs. 20.
A chargesheet was filed in 1997. However, charges were framed only in 2002, and witness hearings began the following year.
In 2004, a sessions court convicted Prajapati and sentenced him to four years in prison, along with a fine of Rs. 3,000. He challenged the verdict before the Gujarat High Court.
The appeal remained pending for 22 years. On 4 February 2026, the High Court acquitted him. His lawyer stated that the case was based on suspicion rather than evidence.
Following the verdict, Prajapati visited his lawyer’s office, expressing relief and hope about reclaiming his pending dues. The next day, he suffered a heart attack and passed away.
The case, which began with an allegation involving a Rs. 20 bribe, ended after decades of legal proceedings, with acquittal coming only a day before his death.
