Punjab: Assistant Labour Commissioner booked on corruption charge

Chandigarh, Nov 10 (PTI) An assistant labour commissioner was booked while his computer operator was arrested in a bribery case, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau said on Sunday.

Assistant Labour Commissioner Harpreet Singh was absconding, said a spokesperson of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.

His office's computer operator, Alka Sharma, was held for accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000, added the spokesperson.

The case was registered on a complaint lodged by Rohit Chauhan, a shop owner in Kashmiri Bazaar, Hoshiarpur.

The complainant told the Vigilance Bureau that he owns a jewellery shop, which he recently renovated. He subsequently received a notice from the office of the assistant labour commissioner, Hoshiarpur.

When he visited the office, Alka Sharma, the computer operator, informed him that he would face a substantial fine, but she could help to resolve the matter by discussing it with her superior Assistant Labour Commissioner Harpreet Singh.

The spokesperson said that the complainant mentioned that Sharma took the notice and went into Singh's office.

Shortly after, the complainant was also called into the office, where Singh allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 in exchange for dismissing the notice.

The complainant recorded the conversation related to the bribe demand and submitted it as evidence to the bureau.

The spokesperson further said that raids were being conducted at various locations to apprehend Singh. PTI CHS AS AS