The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its drive against corruption in the state, on Monday, arrested Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Baljinder Singh, posted as Investigating Officer at Police Station Lalru, district SAS Nagar, red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the aforementioned police personnel has been arrested following a complaint lodged by a resident of village Channa Gulab Singh Wala, district Bathinda, who is presently residing at Gillco Valley, Kharar, in SAS Nagar district.
He further added that the complainant has approached the VB with a complaint that said ASI, who was investigating a case registered against him at police station Lalru under sections 406 and 420 of IPC, had demanded a bribe of Rs 1,30,000 from him. The bribe was demanded in lieu of extending undue favour in the investigation, which included avoiding recovery of the cheated amount of Rs 10,00,000 during police remand, conducting a lenient investigation in future, and releasing the complainant’s car which had been taken into possession by the accused officer but not shown on record.
Out of the total demand, the accused had specifically asked for the first installment of Rs 30,000 to be paid immediately. The complainant had recorded the demand raised by the accused and submitted it to the VB in support of his allegations.
The spokesperson informed that acting promptly on the complaint, the VB Flying Squad registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and constituted a trap team.
He further added that as per the plan, the accused ASI called the complainant to meet him at Punjabi Vaishno Dhaba, at National Highway, Lalru, where he arrived in his private vehicle.
The trap team caught the accused red-handed while he was accepting the bribe of Rs 30,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. Further investigation in the case is under progress, he said.