The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in line with the zero tolerance policy adopted by the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government, has apprehended Inspector Rajneesh Rampal posted at Food and Civil Supplies Department, Bhogpur district Jalandhar and Junior Auditor Manav Bhanot posted in the O/o District Controller, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Jalandhar on charges of demanding and accepting bribes in connection with completing the storage of paddy allotted for custom milling during the crop year 2025-26.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrests have been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Cheema Mandi, tehsil Sunam, district Sangrur on the Chief Minister’s Anti Corruption Action Line portal.
He said that the during the verification of a complaint, it was found that accused Rajneesh Rampal had received a first installment of of bribe Rs. 50,000 from the complainant for completing the storage of paddy in the complainant's sheller and subsequently received a second installment of Rs. 20,000 as illegal gratification for himself and in the name of Gurvinder Singh, AFSO, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Bhogpur.
Furthermore, he added that accused Manav Bhanot, Junior Auditor, had also received Rs. 50,000 from the complainant as illegal gratification for himself and in the name of Narinder Singh, District Controller, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Jalandhar, for completing the storage of paddy in the complainant's sheller. In this connection, video recordings produced by the complainant proved the allegations against both the accused.
In this regard, a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against these accused at VB Police Station Jalandhar.The role of other suspected officers/employees would also be examined during the course of investigation. Further investigation into this case is underway, he added.