A class-one officer of the Haryana transport department was caught red-handed accepting bribe from commercial vehicles such as buses and maxi-cabs ferrying passengers between Gurgaon and Sohna.
Officers of the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau laid a trap to catch general manager-rank officer Jagbir Singh Ahlawat after repeated complaints that the flying squad team headed by him had been collecting Rs 15,000-20,000 from each commercial vehicle every month.
Sources in the vigilance department claimed that the flying squad on an average had been collecting a total of Rs 15-17 lakh per month from vehicles plying on various routes in Gurgaon. A special investigating team (SIT) has been appointed to look into the matter.
“We need to establish whether the vehicles had been violating transport norms and were paying bribe to the squad,” said Sheel Madhur, IG Vigilance.
Several drivers and operators had filed graft complaints against the Ahlawat-led flying squad.
Ahlawat had allegedly fixed specific points such as juice corners and tea stalls where drivers used to come and deposit the bribe money.
“The SIT will also interrogate the operators,” said the IG, adding that Ahlawat has been suspended by the Haryana government. He is presently lodged in a Gurgaon jail.
According to the vigilance department, the flying squad had been had been collecting bribe for the last seven years and were active in the entire state.
{{/usCountry}}According to the vigilance department, the flying squad had been had been collecting bribe for the last seven years and were active in the entire state.
{{/usCountry}}“It is a massive revenue loss for the state exchequer if commercial vehicles are flouting transport rules and the authorities concerned are minting money on that account,” said an official.