CBI books estate office clerk for graft

An investigation was initiated after a complainant reported that Kamal demanded a bribe to reduce outstanding dues related to a rehri shop allotment in Sector 46

A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) laid a trap, a case was registered against Raj Kamal, a dealing assistant at the Chandigarh estate office.

Kamal has been booked under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. (iStock)

The investigation was initiated after a complainant reported that Kamal demanded a bribe to reduce outstanding dues related to a rehri shop allotment in Sector 46. It was revealed that Kamal had created the handwritten slip to misrepresent the actual dues so as to deceive the complainant.

According to the complaint, the rehri shop was initially allotted to the complainant’s father by the administration in 2002. After the father’s death in February 2003, the family did not deposit the full amount required for the allotment. Recently, the complainant received a notice from the housing board indicating outstanding dues of ₹5.5 lakh out of which ₹5 lakh had already been paid. The housing board informed the complainant that additional dues were pending with the estate office.

When the complainant visited the estate office to settle the said dues, he encountered Raj Kamal. Upon inquiry, Kamal presented a handwritten slip indicating that the dues amounted to around ₹12,50,000 but did not provide the slip to the complainant, instead asking him to take a photograph of it. Allegedly, Kamal then informed the complainant that he could have the dues reduced by ₹4 to ₹5 lakhs in exchange for a bribe of ₹1,50,000.

The complainant reported this interaction to the CBI, which subsequently recorded Kamal assuring that he could reduce the dues by ₹4,75,000 if the complainant paid a bribe of ₹1,40,000. Kamal further requested 60% of the bribe amount as an advance payment.

On Monday, it was arranged that the complainant would hand over ₹84,000, representing 60% of the total bribe amount, to Raj Kamal. CBI laid the trap and caught Raj Kamal accepting a bribe of ₹20,000.

Kamal has been booked under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.