VB arrests SC panel member for taking ₹50,000 as bribe

CAUGHT IN LUDHIANA TAKING BRIBE FOR FAVOURABLE VERDICT IN CASE OF CASTEIST REMARKS, SAYS VB

FEROZEPUR/CHANDIGARH:THE Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) arrested a member of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 here on Saturday.

An official spokesperson said Babu Singh Panjawa was caught on the basis of a complaint by Major Singh of Dhaula village in Barnala district. He added that a native of village Dhaula, Gurjant Singh, had submitted a complaint to the commission against Major under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for alleged casteist remarks against him and the same was being probed by the accused.

The complainant approached the VB alleging that Panjawa was demanding bribe of ₹5,00,000 for giving decision in his favour on this complaint but the matter was settled to give ₹2,50,000.

The complainant said he had already paid ₹2,50,000 to Panjawa on October 22 to exonerate him from the “false allegations” levelled against him, but Panjawa was demanding ₹50,000 more to hand over the copy of verdict.

After verifying the information, a vigilance team laid a trap and the accused was caught redhanded at Lambi village in Muktsar district while accepting the bribe in the presence of two official witnesses, said a spokesperson.

Another case has been registered against Panjawa at Lambi for carrying a .32-bore revolver in his vehicle as the district administration had already imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the district.