: In two separate anti-corruption operations on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Establishment arrested three people, including two junior engineers, in Banda and Agra for allegedly accepting bribes.
In the first operation, a junior engineer posted at the regional office of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board in Banda was arrested red-handed while allegedly accepting ₹1 lakh from a granite plant operator to prevent action over a pollution-related notice, according to a press note.
“The accused, identified as Salman, was trapped by the Jhansi sector team of the UP Vigilance Establishment on November 2. According to the complainant, who operates a granite plant, he had received a notice from the pollution control board through WhatsApp on June 18, allegedly without any site inspection,” the press note stated.
The complainant alleged that when he approached the regional office, he was asked to meet Salman. The junior engineer allegedly demanded ₹1 lakh to ensure that no action was taken against him over the notice. Instead of paying the bribe, the complainant approached the vigilance department.
After a confidential verification of the allegations, the vigilance team laid a trap and arrested Salman while he was allegedly accepting the money. A case is being registered against him under relevant sections at Kotwali Nagar police station in Banda.
In a separate operation in Agra, the vigilance team’s Agra sector arrested a junior engineer and a tenderer associated with the Shamsabad electricity sub-division while they were allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 to process a new electricity connection. “The accused were identified as Vinesh Yadav, junior engineer, and Lokendra Singh, a tenderer associated with the electricity sub-division in Shamsabad, Fatehabad block,” another press note stated.
{{/usCountry}}In a separate operation in Agra, the vigilance team’s Agra sector arrested a junior engineer and a tenderer associated with the Shamsabad electricity sub-division while they were allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 to process a new electricity connection. “The accused were identified as Vinesh Yadav, junior engineer, and Lokendra Singh, a tenderer associated with the electricity sub-division in Shamsabad, Fatehabad block,” another press note stated.
{{/usCountry}}According to the complaint, the applicant, Arjun, had applied for a new electricity connection for his newly constructed house in Shamsabad on October 24. Despite a site inspection, he was allegedly asked to approach the junior engineer for further processing. Yadav subsequently demanded ₹10,000 for approving the connection, the complaint alleged. After the complainant approached the Agra superintendent of police (Vigilance), the allegations were verified confidentially.
A trap team arrested both accused on Monday while they were allegedly accepting the money from the complainant. A case is being registered against the two at the UP vigilance establishment police station in Agra.