In its ongoing crackdown on corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) today arrested Vikramjeet Singh Panthey , Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Batala cum SDM Batala. He was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 50K from the complainant. An unaccounted amount of Rs 13,50,000/- were also recovered upon further search of the accused.
Disclosing this a spokesperson of VB said that complainant is a resident of Batala district Gurdaspur who had got done patch work & repair work of roads at the Municipal Corporation Batala, for which two bills of Rs. 1,87,483/- and Rs. 1,85,369/- totalling amount of Rs. 3,72,852/- had been submitted for payment. In this regard, he met the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Batala who told him that in order to receive the said payment of bills, he will have to give 10% commission for clearing these bills i.e Rs 37000 as a bribe.
He further informed that complainant also did camera and other related work for a light and sound show in Batala, for which an amount of Rs.1,81,543/- was also pending for payment. In this way, a total amount to approximately Rs 5,54,395/- was due for payment. Regarding the payment of these bills, he met SDO Rohit Uppal who said that orders of the Commissioner had to be followed and the complainant had to give a 9% commission as bribe to release the due amount.
But the complainant did not want to get his work done by paying bribes. Acting on complainant information, the Vigilance Bureau got a recorded complainant statement at VB Unit Gurdaspur. After verifying the allegations, VB laid a trap and apprehended Vikramjeet Singh Panthey red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 50K from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
A case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the Police Station Vigilance Bureau, Range Amritsar. The accused will be produced in competent court tomorrow, and further investigation is underway.