The vigilance bureau on Tuesday arrested an assistant sub-inspector for accepting ₹40,000 from a man in exchange for registering a counter case against the rival party in a neighbourhood dispute, officials said.
According to VB spokesperson, the accused, ASI Jinder Lal, in-charge of Police Post Eldeco Estate under Salem Tabri police station, was investigating a complaint involving a fight between two neighbouring families in the Salem Tabri area.
According to the complaint submitted to the VB, the complainant, Ranjit Singh of Chitti Colony, Bhatia Bet, said his wife, Manjit Kaur, had a dispute with their neighbour, Aswani Kumar. After the altercation, both parties underwent medical examinations at civil hospital, Ludhiana, and submitted complaints at the police post.
Ranjit alleged that Jinder Lal had earlier taken ₹50,000 from him on the assurance that he would facilitate a compromise between the two parties. However, a case was subsequently registered against his wife and others on July 31 under Sections 118(2), 74, 3(5) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Salem Tabri police station.
The complainant further alleged that the ASI then demanded another ₹40,000, promising to register a counter case against the rival party on the basis of their medical reports.
{{/usCountry}}The complainant further alleged that the ASI then demanded another ₹40,000, promising to register a counter case against the rival party on the basis of their medical reports.
{{/usCountry}}According to a VB spokesperson, Ranjit recorded the conversation regarding the alleged demand and approached the bureau. On Tuesday, he appeared before inspector Kiranpreet Kaur of the Ludhiana unit and recorded his statement, agreeing to pay the demanded amount.
The bureau subsequently laid a trap and, according to officials, caught Jinder Lal red-handed while he was accepting the ₹40,000, in the presence of official witnesses.
The accused was arrested and further investigation is underway.
The bureau is also probing the alleged earlier payment of ₹50,000 and the circumstances surrounding the registration of the original FIR.