Mohali, July 29 -- A CBI court on Tuesday convicted former public works department (B&R) executive engineer Joginder Singh in a 15-year-old corruption case for using forged bills to secure the release of Rs.1.62 crore in government funds and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment of up to five years. Special judge, CBI, Baljinder Singh Sra convicted Joginder Singh, a resident of Barnala, under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Singh was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment each under Sections 420 and 467 IPC, three years each under Sections 468 and 471 IPC, and three years under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was also fined Rs.1 lakh in total. The court directed that all sentences would run concurrently and granted him the benefit of set-off for the period already spent in custody. While awarding the sentence, the court referred to Supreme Court judgments and observed: "The fundamental purpose of imposition of sentence is based on the principle that the accused must realise that the crime committed by him has not only created a dent in his life but also a concavity in the social fabric. It serves as a deterrent."...