Chandigarh, April 2,
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), as part of its ongoing anti-corruption drive, has arrested Sub Divisional Officer Hardeep Singh, posted at PSPCL office, Sub Division Kup Kalan, district Malerkotla, red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹10,000.
An official spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau disclosed that the arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a resident of village Bhogiwal, district Malerkotla.
According to the complaint, the accused SDO Hardeep Singh inspected the complainant’s house and claimed that unauthorised electricity meters had been installed. He then demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 to allow the meters to continue functioning. The complainant had secretly recorded the entire conversation in which the bribe was demanded.
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Unwilling to pay the illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau’s Patiala range office. After a preliminary enquiry, the VB team laid a trap and arrested SDO Hardeep Singh red-handed while he was accepting ₹10,000 as 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 the Vigilance Bureau Police Station, Patiala. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
