Two Punjab cops arrested after complaint on CM’s anti-corruption helpline
Assistant sub inspector and head constable held in Tarn Taran for taking bribe two days after complaint on 9501200200; search on for two absconding policemen
Two days after a complaint was lodged on the anti-corruption helpline, 9501200200 launched by chief minister Bhagwant Mann last week, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Tuesday arrested two policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), for accepting bribe in lieu of taking action in a first information report (FIR) registered in 2019 in Tarn Taran. Two other policemen, also named in the complaint, are absconding.
Also read: Punjab CM launches anti-corruption helpline number 9501 200 200
ASI Gurdas Singh and head constable Balwinder Singh were arrested and a search is on for head constable Sakesh Kumar and Punjab Home Guard jawan Rattan Lal. All four were posted at the Chabhal police station of Tarn Taran district.
Complainant Bikramjit Singh stated that Surjit Kumar of Padhri village in Tarn Taran had duped his brother Kulwinder Singh of ₹6 lakh on the pretext of getting him recruited in the Indian Army in April 2010. “Besides Kulwinder, Kumar duped seven other people, promising to get them recruited in the army. A case was registered at the Chabhal police station against Kumar on the complaint of Kulwinder and the seven others,” said a vigilance officer.
ASI Gurdas Singh demanded ₹20,000 in September 2020 to bring accused Surjit Kumar on production warrant from Kapurthala jail, where he was lodged in a matrimonial dispute case. On September 23, 2020, the complainant gave a bribe of ₹5,000 to ASI Gurdas Singh in the parking of the District Administrative Complex at Tarn Taran.
On Sunday, complainant Bikramjit provided video evidence of acceptance of the bribe on the WhatsApp helpline number. He complained that the three other cops, all posted at Jhabal police station, also took a bribe of ₹1,000 each from him.
Thereafter, Surjit Kumar was brought on production warrant from Kapurthala jail and Balwinder demanded ₹50,000 for reclaiming the ₹6 lakh, but the complainant did not pay the bribe.
A case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the four policemen at the Vigilance Bureau police station in Amritsar on Monday. “Efforts are on to arrest the remaining accused,” the vigilance official said.