The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), as part of its ongoing campaign against corruption, has arrested a private individual, Jagat Ram, a resident of Mullapur Dakha, Ludhiana district, for accepting bribes amounting to Rs 42.60 lakh while falsely claiming to be a government official. Disclosing this today, an official spokesperson of the VB stated that the case was registered against the accused based on a complaint filed by Rakesh Sachdeva, a resident of SBS Nagar, Pakhowal Road, Ludhiana, through the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line.
The complainant alleged that Jagat Ram had taken a bribe of Rs 42.60 lakh from him to obtain No Objection Certificates (NOCs) that were pending with the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT). According to the complaint, Sachdeva, who runs a garment shop at AC Market, Ludhiana, had purchased three properties under the LDP scheme of LIT in 2017, 2019, and 2022, respectively.
He had submitted all relevant documents to LIT to secure NOCs for transferring the properties into his name but failed to obtain them. During this time, he met Jagat Ram, who introduced himself as an official of LIT and posed as a Private Secretary to a senior officer in Chandigarh.
The accused assured him that he could arrange the NOCs but demanded a bribe in return. Sachdeva further stated that Jagat Ram took bribes from him in installments over two years, totaling Rs 42.60 lakh, but failed to deliver the promised NOCs.
Eventually, he discovered that Jagat Ram was not an LIT employee but a private individual who was collecting bribes posing as public servant. With the help of a friend, the complainant recorded conversations with Jagat Ram, wherein the latter admitted to having taken bribes amounting to Rs 37 lakh.
The VB spokesperson added that during the verification of the complaint, the allegations were found to be true, supported by oral, audio, and documentary evidence. Investigations revealed that the accused had taken Rs 42.60 lakh including Rs 3.90 lakh through Google Pay.
Based on the findings, a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the VB Police Station, Ludhiana Range. Jagat Ram would be produced before the competent court tomorrow. Role of LIT employees would be examined during the investigation, he added.