2 officials booked for taking ₹15 lakh bribe from sarpanch candidate
Nov 22, 2024 05:00 AM IST
Gulab Singh, the sub-divisional officer (SDO), and Davinder Singh, agricultural sub-inspector, were deployed as the returning officer and assistant returning officer, respectively, during the polls, the VB said.
The Punjab vigilance bureau on Thursday booked two officials, deputed for the panchayat elections last month, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh.
The duo had allegedly taken the bribe from a candidate for the sarpanch post, the bureau said.
Gulab Singh, the sub-divisional officer (SDO), and Davinder Singh, agricultural sub-inspector, were deployed as the returning officer and assistant returning officer, respectively, during the polls, the VB said.
A spokesperson of the bureau said that a complaint against the duo was lodged by Gurpreet Singh, a farmer from Mana Singh Wala village, Ghall Khurd block in Ferozepur.
During investigation, it was found that the complainant had filed his nomination papers to contest election for the post of sarpanch from his village.
The complainant alleged that Gulab had demanded and accepted a bribe of ₹10 lakh from him in the presence of Davinder.
Later, an unknown individual collected another ₹5 lakh on behalf of Gulab, the complainant said.
The complainant further alleged that despite paying a bribe, his nomination papers were rejected.
“Both the accused had conspired to extort money from the complainant in lieu of not rejecting his nomination papers,” said the spokesperson.
A case against the accused has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the spokesperson said.
