Punjab: Batala municipal commissioner held for accepting bribe from contractor

Chandigarh, Nov 22 (PTI) The Commissioner of Batala Municipal Corporation, who also holds the charge of the sub-divisional magistrate, was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), officials said on Saturday.

An unaccounted amount of Rs 13.50 lakh was also recovered from the accused official, they added.

A VB spokesperson said, the complainant -- a resident of Batala -- had undertaken a road repair work for the Municipal Corporation, for which two bills of Rs 1,87,483 and Rs 1,85,369 were submitted for payment.

In this regard, he met the Commissioner Vikramjeet Singh Panthey, who allegedly demanded a 10 per cent commission for the release of his payment.

He further alleged that an amount of Rs 1,81,543 was also pending for work related to a light and sound show in Batala.

A total amount of Rs 5,54,395 was due for payment, said the spokesperson.

The complainant met sub-divisional officer Rohit Uppal who allegedly told him the municipal commissioner's orders would have to be followed and he would have to give the commission as bribe to release the due amount, the spokesperson said.

After receiving the complaint and verifying the allegations, the VB laid a trap and apprehended Panthey when he was accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

A case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the Vigilance Bureau police station in Amritsar.

The accused will be produced in court on Sunday, and further investigation is underway. PTI CHS ARB ARB