In the relentless pursuit of eradicating corruption from the state, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) achieved another success on Wednesday by apprehending Block Development and Panchayats Officer (BDPO) Vipan Kumar Sharma, posted at Batala, Gurdaspur district, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB said the arrest of above said BDPO was made following a complaint lodged by Happy Gill, a resident of village Sekhwan in Gurdaspur district.
He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and informed that his wife is Sarpanch of village Sekhwan and the accused BDPO has demanded Rs 40,000 as a bribe to clear a bill amounting to Rs 1,33,000 related to purchase of cement used in the development works in the village. The complainant further informed that the deal has been struck at Rs 30,000 and the BDPO has taken Rs 15,000 on November 20 and demanding the remaining amount.
The spokesperson further added that upon receiving this complaint, the VB Range Amritsar conducted a preliminary investigation and subsequently laid a trap in which BDPO Vipan Kumar Sharma was arrested red-handed while accepting bribe of Rs 15,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard, a case has been registered under FIR 38, dated November 22, 2023, under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act at VB Police Station Amritsar Range. The accused would be presented before the competent court tomorrow, and further investigation into the matter was under progress, he added.