The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Seed Certification Officer Amritpal Singh posted at Punjab State Seed Certification Authority Ludhiana, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000/-. 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 Ward No. 10 of district Mansa.
He said that the complainant is a seed producer who runs M/s Punjab Agri Seed Farm, in Mansa. The work of his firm is to obtain breeder seeds (first-type sowing seeds) from agricultural universities in Punjab or outside the state of Punjab and make seeds from purchased crops. Our firm had sown wheat seeds in about 510 hectares (1275 acres) of land through various universities and foundation seed sources.
The responsibility of inspecting these crop lies with accused Amritpal Singh, Seed Certification Officer. In this regard, aforesaid accused came to our farm about 10 days ago for the inspection of our sown crop and asked to show the sown fields.
Complainant alleged that accused demanded a bribe Rs. 200/- per hectare (510*200 = Rs. 102000/-) in lieu of making inspection report favorable of sowing crops. Complainant had recorded the entire conversation of demanding bribe.
Unwilling to pay any illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau range Bathinda. After a preliminary enquiry on his complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the accused Seed Certification Officer was arrested red handed while accepting bribe money of Rs 50,000/- 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 Bathinda and further investigation into this case is under progress.