Chandigarh: Patwari held while accepting ₹2,000 graft

The complainant alleged that he needed a copy of the fard of his house and the patwari demanded ₹5,000 for it, even though the official fee is ₹3.

The Chandigarh vigilance department arrested a patwari of the revenue department on Thursday while taking a bribe of ₹2,000.

A team of vigilance officers had laid a trap to arrest the Chandigarh patwari after a complaint was received, (HT File/representational image)

The accused, Vinod Kumar, was arrested at in his office in Bhopal Singh stadium, Burail.

The complainant (whose name was withheld by vigilance) had alleged that he needed a copy of the fard of his house and Kumar demanded ₹5,000 for it, even though the official fee is ₹3.

After negotiations, the amount was settled at ₹4,000 and the complainant paid ₹2,000 to Kumar, following which he approached vigilance.

A team comprising independent witnesses and officers of vigilance police station was constituted under OSD Vigilance Deepak Yadav. A trap was laid at the patwari’s office and he was arrested red handed.

A case under Prevention of Corruption Act was registered at vigilance police station. Kumar will be produced before a court on Friday.