-₹13.50 Lakh Unaccounted Cash Also Recovered
Chandigarh, November 22
In a major blow to corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) today caught Vikramjeet Singh Panthey, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Batala and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Batala, red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 from a contractor.
During the search of the accused, the VB team also recovered unaccounted cash amounting to ₹13.50 lakh.
A VB spokesperson revealed that the complainant, a contractor from Batala (Gurdaspur district), had carried out road patch and repair work for the Municipal Corporation and submitted two bills totalling ₹3,72,852. When he approached Panthey for clearance and payment, the officer allegedly demanded 10% commission (₹37,000) as bribe.
Additionally, the contractor had completed camera and related work for a light-and-sound show in Batala, for which ₹1,81,543 was pending. Even for this, the officer, through SDO Rohit Uppal, allegedly demanded a 9% bribe, taking the total demanded illegal gratification to over ₹50,000.
watch…..Vigilance Bureau’s Sting Operation: Patwari Takes ₹25,000 Bribe
Refusing to pay bribe, the contractor approached the Vigilance Bureau. After verification of the complaint at VB Unit Gurdaspur, a trap was laid. Panthey was arrested red-handed in the presence of two official witnesses while accepting ₹50,000 bribe amount.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against Vikramjeet Singh Panthey at Police Station Vigilance Bureau, Range Amritsar. The accused will be produced before the competent court tomorrow. Further investigation is in progress.
The Vigilance Bureau continues its zero-tolerance policy against corruption in public offices.
