Vigilance bureau nabs Jalandhar ASI taking ₹20,000 bribe

HAD DEMANDED GRAFT FROM A LOCAL RESIDENT FOR SETTLING A PROPERTY DISPUTE, IT WAS ALLEGED

JALANDHAR : An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Punjab Police was caught red-handed by the vigilance bureau (VB) while taking a bribe of ₹20,000 from a local resident for settling a property dispute, here on Tuesday.

The accused cop was identified as Satpal, posted at division number 1 police station.

Sumit Wadhwa of Jalandhar filed a complaint saying he had purchased a house from Jyoti after paying ₹41 lakh but a week later her daughter-in-law’s mother barged into his house and exchanged heated arguments and engaged in scuffle with his wife.

Later, the ASI arrived at the spot to settle the matter and a property dealer was called to mediate. The ASI agreed to settle the dispute if he was paid ₹1.5 lakh bribe.

Complainant alleged that a deal was struck for ₹70,000, which he gave to the ASI , however, he demanded more money.

Senior superintendent of police (vigilance) Daljinder Singh Dhillon said after verifying his complaint, the bureau laid a trap and arrested the accused ASI redhanded accepting a bribe of ₹20,000.

A case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, was registered against the accused assistant sub-inspector.

On January 21, vigilance bureau had arrested the reader of assistant commissioner of police (ACP) for taking ₹5,000 bribe. The VB had acted on the complaint of a travel agent who complained that the reader, Rajesh Kumar, was demanding money to clear a file with regard to his new immigration-facilitation venture. The reader was caught red-handed as soon as he accepted money from the complainant.