Uttarakhand govt official, his PA held for accepting bribe

Dehradun, Jan 16 (PTI) The Uttarakhand Vigilance Department on Friday arrested a government official and his personal assistant, allegedly while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.

The Vigilance Department stated that it had been receiving information for a long time regarding the corrupt practices of Haridwar District Supply Officer Shyam Arya and his personal assistant Gaurav Sharma.

Following a complaint from a ration dealer, the department initiated an investigation and laid a trap.

According to officials, both Arya and Sharma were caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000, and the Vigilance team promptly arrested them.

The department confirmed that both accused individuals are currently being interrogated intensively at the Haridwar District Supply Office. In addition, the office records and other documents are being thoroughly examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a statement, reiterated the state government's commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

He emphasised that strict instructions have been issued to the Vigilance Department, the Special Task Force (STF), and other investigative agencies to take action against corruption with complete autonomy.

"The government has been running a continuous campaign against corruption in recent years, which has helped in strengthening the public's trust in the administration," Dhami said.

He also appealed to the people of the state to report any instances of corruption through the appropriate channels, assuring them that their identity would be kept confidential.

The chief minister further stated that swift and impartial action would be taken against those involved in corrupt practices. PTI DPT HIG HIG