The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in line with the the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s zero tolerance policy against corruption, has arrested Raj Kumar, Assistant Town Planner (ATP), Municipal Corporation Phagwara, and Rajesh Kumar, a private architect, from Phagwara for accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.
A spokesperson of the state VB informed that the arrests were made based on a complaint received from a resident of Phagwara, in Kapurthala district. The complainant has approached the VB alleging that the private architect had initially demanded a bribe of Rs 1,50,000 to facilitate the approval of a house map plan through the concerned town planning official. After negotiation, the bribe amount was settled at Rs 50,000.
The spokesperson informed that following a preliminary verification of the complaint, a VB team from Jalandhar range laid a trap during which both the ATP and the architect were apprehended red-handed while accepting the bribe in the presence of two official witnesses.He further added that a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against both the accused at the VB Police Station, Jalandhar Range.
They would be produced before the competent court tomorrow, and further investigations are underway. He further added that this action underscores the Mann Government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and a corruption-free administration across Punjab.