Face2News/Chandigarh/Amritsar
In its ongoing crackdown on corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) today arrested a private individual, Lalit Arora, a resident of Chheharta in Amritsar district, while he was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh on behalf of the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chheharta police station.
A VB spokesperson said the arrest followed a complaint lodged by a local resident, who reported that the SHO and his team had visited his house, accusing him and his cousin of involvement in drug trafficking. The police allegedly warned that a criminal case would be registered against them and claimed to have seized a car belonging to the complainant, in which drugs were purportedly recovered.
According to the complaint, the complainant later approached Lalit Arora, who is known to the SHO, to help resolve the matter. Arora allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 25 lakh on behalf of the SHO in exchange for not registering a drug case. The complainant expressed his inability to pay the full amount immediately and said he could arrange only Rs 5 lakh, which Arora agreed to accept as part payment.
After verifying the allegations, a VB team from the Amritsar Range laid a trap and apprehended Arora red-handed while accepting the Rs 5 lakh bribe from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
A case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the VB Police Station, Amritsar Range. The accused will be produced in court on Saturday, and further investigation is underway, the spokesperson added.
