VIGILANCE BUREAU NABS PRIVATE ASSISTANT OF PATWARI RED HANDED ACCEPTING BRIBE OF RS 30 THOUSANDS

Face2News/Bathinda/Chandigarh

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Private Assistant Pritpal Singh to Patwari Maninder Singh of revenue estate Chauke tehsil Maur district Bathinda, red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000/-.

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 Thikriwala district Barnala.

He stated that the complainant alleged that complainant along with his brother and sister had purchased land in village Chauke in the year 2002. Recently, complainant found that the revenue records still reflected the name of the previous seller instead of their names.

To get this error rectified, complainant approached the concerned Patwari, Maninder Singh of revenue estate, Chauke. The Patwari directed him to coordinate with his private assistant, Pritpal Singh. The private assistant subsequently demanded a bribe of ₹1,50,000 to execute the correction, he added.

He further said that when the complainant revisited the Patwari office, accused Pritpal Singh took him behind the office building and connected him with Patwari Maninder Singh on the phone. During this conversation, the Patwari negotiated the bribe amount down to ₹1,40,000, accused Pritpal Singh accepted ₹2,000 on the spot, and instructed the complainant to deliver the next instalment on October 22, 2026.

Unwilling to pay the illegal gratification, complainant approached the VB Range Bathinda. Acting on his complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which accused Private Assistant Pritpal Singh to Patwari was arrested red handed while accepting bribe money of Rs 30,000/- 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 Bathinda and further investigation into this case is under progress.