Chandigarh, March 9
In its ongoing crackdown on corruption across Punjab, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gopal Singh, posted at Police Division No. 2, Commissionerate Jalandhar, red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹8,000.
Disclosing the details today, an official spokesperson of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau stated that the arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Gandhi Camp, Jalandhar.
According to the complainant, who works as an astrologer, the police at Police Station Division No. 2 had arrested his neighbour Vijay Raj alias Pali in a drug-related case based on his earlier complaint. Later, the complainant, along with the sister of Vijay Raj alias Pali and the locality president, visited the police station and learned that a formal drug case had been registered against Vijay Raj.
watch…..Punjab Vigilance Bureau Nabs SSP Office Senior Assistant Accepting ₹10,000 Bribe
Two days later, ASI Gopal Singh allegedly contacted the complainant and threatened him that if he did not come to the police station and meet him, his (the complainant’s) name would also be added to the same drug case. Subsequently, when the complainant’s younger brother Balwant and locality president Amit Kumar alias Lovely Bhagat met the accused ASI at Police Station Division No. 2, the officer demanded a bribe of ₹50,000 to ensure the complainant would not be implicated in the case.
After negotiations requested by Balwant and Amit Kumar, the ASI reduced the demand to ₹20,000. Under pressure, they paid ₹10,000 on the spot. However, the accused insisted on receiving the remaining ₹10,000. When they expressed their inability to pay the full amount immediately, the ASI agreed to accept ₹8,000 at a later date. The complainant secretly recorded the conversation in which the bribe demand was made.
Unwilling to pay any illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau’s Jalandhar range office. Following a preliminary verification of the complaint, the VB team laid a successful trap. During the operation, ASI Gopal Singh was caught red-handed accepting ₹8,000 in bribe money from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at Vigilance Bureau Police Station, Jalandhar. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway.
