the offences committed by him under Prevention of Corruption Act and consequently sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year and also directed him to pay a fine of Rs.1,000/- and in default thereof to suffer imprisonment for a further period of two months, after conducting a full-fledged trial. Against the conviction and sentence handed down to him, the petitioner carried the matter in appeal by preferring Crl Appeal No. 727 of 2007 to this court. Though the petitioner has claimed in paragraph (6) of the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition that this court by its order dated 21.6.2007 suspended the sentence, but, however, a perusal of the order passed by this court in Crl MP No. 983 of 2007 in Crl Appeal No. 727 of 2007 merely indicates that the petitioner was enlarged on bail on his executing a bond for Rs.10,000/- with two sureties in a likesum each to the satisfaction of the Special Judge for SPE & ACB Cases, Nellore. Even otherwise, there is distinction, in principle, between conviction and sentence. Even if the sentence handed down to an accused person is suspended by the appellate court, the conviction remains and stares at him throughout the pendency of the criminal appeal.
