21 February 2025 Corruption >> Criminal Law   |   Forgery >> Criminal Law  

A former Indian Airlines Traffic Superintendent's conviction for forgery and corruption has been upheld by the Supreme Court in the matter of Surinder Dogra v/s State Through Director CBI. The appellant was found guilty of manipulating an infant ticket into an adult ticket, enabling a passenger to travel at a significantly reduced fare, thereby causing financial loss to the airline.

The appellant, while working at the ticket counter at Jammu Airport in 1997, issued an infant ticket under a fictitious name. He then forged the flight coupon to reflect an adult passenger and a different destination, facilitating travel for a person named Vikram. The incident was reported by the airline's vigilance department, leading to a CBI investigation.

Both the Trial Court and the High Court found the appellant guilty based on evidence, including testimony from airline officials, a cashier, and a handwriting expert. The expert confirmed that the forged coupons were in the appellant's handwriting. The courts concluded that the appellant, being the ticket issuer, was the only person who could have manipulated the documents.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appellant's appeal, rejecting arguments of insufficient evidence. The court affirmed the concurrent findings of the lower courts, emphasizing the reliability of the handwriting expert's report and the testimony of witnesses familiar with the appellant's handwriting. The court concluded that the appellant's actions constituted offenses under the Ranbir Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, upholding the concurrent convictions and sentences.

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988