PA to DC among three in Vigilance Bureau net on bribery charges

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a corruption case against three employees of the DC office. Two of the three employees have been arrested while one is absconding. A spokesperson for the Vigilance Bureau informed that those involved in the case include Harmandeep Singh, posted as personal assistant (PA) to the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Tarn Taran, Harsimranjit Singh, a clerk posted in Election Cell, Tarn Taran and his accomplice Jagroop Singh, data entry operator, posted on contractual basis in the Election Cell, Tarn Taran. They have been charged with accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. Harmandeep Singh, PA to DC and Jagroop Singh, data entry operator, have been arrested while Harsimranjit Singh, clerk, is evading arrest.

The VB spokesperson said here today that the accused have been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Sandeep Singh, a resident of Mohalla Tonk Kshatriya, Tarn Taran city. The complainant alleged in his statement that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 100,000 for clearing the bills for videography services provided during the recent Lok Sabha elections but the deal was struck at Rs 50,000. The complaint further alleged that the accused had earlier accepted Rs 20,000 as the first installment.

The spokesperson further informed that after a preliminary inquiry, a VB team laid a trap during which the accused Harmandeep Singh, PA, and Jagroop Singh, data entry operator, were caught red-handed while accepting a second installment of Rs 20,000 in bribe money in the presence of two official witnesses.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at the Vigilance Bureau police station, Amritsar range, the VB spokesperson said. The accused would be produced in a competent court. Further investigations is in progress, the spokesperson added.