The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Patwari Gurjit Singh posted at Revenue Estate Dhol Khurd, Sub Registrar Malaud district Ludhiana red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 3,500/-. 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 village Dhol Khurd, P.S Malaud, district Ludhiana.
He said that the complainant's parents passed away in 2016, leaving a 3-Biswa plot in village Dhol Khurd registered under his mother's name. The inheritance mutation of this plot needed to be transferred to the complainant and his six siblings.
The complainant prepared the required documents and submitted them to Patwari Gurjit Singh. The accused took the documents and demanded an illegal gratification of Rs 5,000/- to get the mutation done.
He further said that upon requesting, deal was settled at Rs 3500/- with accused Patwari to get the mutation done of the complainant's plot. Complainant also recorded the entire conversation of demanding bribe.
Unwilling to pay the illegal gratification, complainant approached the VB range Ludhiana. Acting on his complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the accused Patwari was arrested red handed while accepting bribe money of Rs 3,500/- 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 Ludhiana and further investigation into this case is under progress.