The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against the corruption in the state, has apprehended Mohammad Yasin, Rent Collector posted at Punjab Waqf Board office, Garhshankar and Mohammad Talim, Contract based Peon posted at Punjab Waqf Board office, Garhshankar, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 18000/-.
Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above-mentioned accused has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by a resident of Balachaur, district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab. He said that the complainant who is an agriculturalist, had taken 10 kanals of land belonging to the Punjab Waqf Board situated at village Bhaddi, tehsil Balachaur, on lease for the period 2018 to 2021.
After the lease expired in 2021, the complainant approached accused Mohammad Yasin at the Punjab Waqf Board office, Garhshankar, for renewal of the lease. He further informed that the accused Mohammad Yasin demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000/- for preparing the file for renewal of the lease.
Complainant expressed his inability to pay the said amount, then the demand of bribe was reduced to Rs. 20,000/-. Out of this, Rs. 2,000/- as bribe was taken by accused Mohammad Yasin on the spot, and the complainant was asked to pay the remaining Rs. 18,000/-later. The complainant recorded the conversation.
After a preliminary enquiry of his complaint, the VB team SBS Nagar laid a trap during which both accused were arrested red handed while accepting bribe money of Rs 18000/- from the complainant in presence of two official witnesses. In this regard, a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Jalandhar and further investigation into this case is under progress.