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CRIME

Patwari arrested while taking Rs 50,000 as bribe
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 13
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested a patwari, posted at the building branch of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 for submitting site verification report for getting an NOC issued for transfer of ownership of a house.

The patwari, Balraj SIngh, had initially demanded Rs 2 lakh and the deal was settled for Rs 1 lakh. The accused had come to collect the first instalment of Rs 50,000 today.

The CBI laid a trap and arrested him at the new district court complex in Sector 43, where the accused had come to take the bribe amount from the complainant, Jaspinder Singh, a resident of Manimajra. A case was registered against him under various Sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Earlier complainant alleged that the tatwari visited their site and demanded Rs 2 lakh from the complainant for submitting site verification report in his favour and for getting the NOC for transfer of ownership.

Balraj Singh had directed the complainant to give him the bribe amount of 2 lakh in two equal instalments. Later on, Balraj Singh agreed to reduce the bribe amount to Rs 1 lakh and to accept Rs 50,000 in first installment and balance Rs.50,000 before getting the NOC. The accused was arrested while accepting the bribe in the parking lot of new complex in Sector 43. SAD Councillor Malkiat Singh said that he had raised the issue regarding the corrupt practices of the patwari in the house meeting but no inquiry was marked. He added that detailed inquiry in this case can reveal many more things as well.

CBI raid accused’s house

The CBI raided the house of the accused in Swastik Vihar, MDC Panchkula and found documents related to purchase of properties. A CBI official said that the accused has atleast four properties in his name. CBI has also seized his bank accounts.

“CBI is very active these days”, accused told complainant

The accused patwari called the complainant to deliver the amount at district courts in Sector 43, thinking that it was a safe place.

He also changed his location within the court complex, a number of times. Before landing in the CBI trap, he told the complainant that he was being careful as “CBI is very active these days”. The CBI has recorded conversation of the accused demanding bribe.

14-year-old girl kidnapped
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 13
A a 14-year-old girl was kidnapped by two youths near Sector 4, Panchkula, when she was coming back from work. The victim hails from Peer Mushala and had come for work at Sector 4 when she was kidnapped.

According to the girl's parents, their daughter did not return home late till evening, following which they had to get a case registered. The parents have also suspected the involvement of a youth and told the police that he along with his friend had kidnapped their daughter.

A case has been registered at the police station in Sector 5.

"The girl went missing on February 11 and the parents kept searching for her. When she was not found, they got a case registered and suspected kidnapping by two youths," said a police official.

Witness turns hostile in PS Sandhu's case
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 13
In a setback to the CBI in a case against Punjab AIG PS Sandhu, a witness in the case turned hostile in court today. Kanwaljeet Singh, the driver of accused, Sandhu, told the court that his mobile was never used to make any call for bribe.

This was a complete u-turn of his statements given to the CBI in which he stated that his mobile phone was used by Sandhu to make the bribery demand.

Sandhu, who was posted at the rank of assistant inspector general at the Punjab police headquarters in Chandigarh, was arrested on July 12, 2011 by CBI sleuths for accepting bribe of Rs 50,000 from a complainant who was facing an inquiry.