The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, on Monday has arrested Amandeep Singh, Forest Guard, holding additional Block Incharge, Forest Range Office, Patiala red-handed while he was accepting a bribe Rs. 1,50,000. Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrested accused was demanded bribe in lieu of a complainant for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) related to land purchased for a Nursing Home at Devigarh Road, Patiala.
The complainant has informed the VB that bribe was demanded jointly by Swaran Singh, Forest Range Officer, Patiala and aforementioned Amandeep Singh. The spokesperson added that after preliminary verification of this complaint the VB team laid a trap during which the accused Amandeep Singh was apprehended in the presence of two official witnesses and the bribe money was recovered on the spot from the accused.
In this regard a case under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under section 61(2) of the BNS has been registered against the said accused at VB Police Station Patiala range. The other co-accused Swaran Singh, Forest Range Officer will be arrested soon. Further investigation of this case is under progress, he added.