The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, has arrested a Junior Engineer (JE) of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Manoj Kumar, red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000. Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the VB stated that the case was registered based on a complaint filed by a resident of New Amar Nagar, Daba, Ludhiana.
The complainant, who runs a welding shop, stated that his wife had purchased a two-story house at New Amar Nagar where he intended to set up a small factory on the ground floor, requiring a 10 KW commercial electricity meter. According to the complaint, he submitted an application for the new meter at the PSPCL office in Janta Nagar, Ludhiana, and deposited the required fee.
Fifteen days later, the aforementioned JE Manoj Kumar visited the site and took Rs 3,000 from him for “miscellaneous expenses.” The JE then demanded a total bribe of Rs 15,000 stating that the meter would only be installed once the bribe was paid.
On February 19, 2025, when the complainant again visited the PSPCL office to request the installation of the meter, the JE reiterated his demand for a bribe. Upon the complainant’s request, the JE agreed to accept an advance payment of Rs 5,000 with the remaining amount to be collected after the installation. The JE then called the complainant to the office for payment.
The spokesperson further added that following verification of the complaint, a vigilance team from Ludhiana range laid a trap during which the above said accused was caught red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 5000 in the presence of two official witnesses at the PSPCL office in Janta Nagar, Ludhiana.
In this regard a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against JE Manoj Kumar at VB Police Station, Ludhiana Range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow, and further investigation was under progress, he added.