Assistant Labour Commissioner booked for graft

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a corruption case against Hoshiarpur Assistant Labour Commissioner Harpreet Singh and his computer operator Alka Sharma for accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000.

Alka, who was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe, has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody by a local court. Harpreet Singh was absconding, said the VB.

Disclosing this here today, a VB spokesperson said the case had been registered based on a complaint lodged by Rohit Chauhan, who is running a shop in Kashmiri Bazaar, Hoshiarpur.

The complainant reported to the VB that he owned a jewellery shop, which he recently got renovated. Subsequently, he received a notice from the office of the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Hoshiarpur. When he visited the office, Alka informed him that he could face a substantial penalty, but she could help resolve the matter by discussing it with her superior Harpreet Singh.

The spokesperson further said the complainant mentioned that Alka took the notice and went to Harpreet Singh’s office. Shortly after, the complainant was also called into the office, where Harpreet Singh demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 in exchange for dismissing the notice. The complainant recorded the conversation and submitted it as an evidence to the VB.