The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested a co-accused Sanjiv Malhotra, Peon (Now clerk), posted in Excise and Taxation Department, Kapurthala for accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 and demanding Rs 20,000 more. In this case, another accused Inspector of Excise and Taxation Jatinderpal Singh, had already been arrested.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered against the above mentioned accused based on a complaint lodged by Neeraj Sharma, a resident of Mohalla Kiampura, Kapurthala city on the Chief Minister's Anti Corruption Action Line.

He further informed that the complainant had informed in his complaint that he is running an electronic shop at Kiampura in Kapurthala city and had sold a cooler in April 2024 to which both the above mentioned accused had intervened to settle the dispute with the customer. He further alleged that both the said accused had asked him on his mobile phone to come with his accountant in the office where they demanded a bribe of Rs 45,000 from him to settle irregularities of said bill.

The complainant mentioned that after this, Clerk Sanjiv Malhotra had demanded a bribe of Rs one lakh on WhatsApp call but deal was struck at Rs 30,000. He had taken Rs 10,000 as first instalment on next day and now they were demanding Rs 20,000, a balance of bribe money. The complainant recorded conversation on phone with the accused and submitted it to the VB as an evidence.

The spokesperson further informed that during verification of allegations leveled in this complainant have been found correct and true as the same have been supported by oral evidence as well as recording of conversation. Based on this verification report, a FIR No 17 dated 14.8.2024 was registered against both the aforementioned accused under section 7 of prevention of corruption act and 384, 120-B of IPC at VB police station Jalandhar range.

In this case accused Inspector Jatinderpal Singh had already been arrested and the accused Clerk Sanjeev Malhotra was evading his arrest since two months. He would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.