The Uttar Pradesh vigilance establishment’s Jhansi team on Wednesday arrested two officials of the regional ayurvedic and unani department in Lalitpur for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a complainant seeking a clinic licence.
Accused Identified
The accused have been identified as Arjun Lal Ahirwar, the acting regional ayurvedic and unani medical officer, and Ramakrishna Gupta, a junior assistant. Both were caught red-handed during an operation conducted by the vigilance establishment.
Details of the Complaint
Vigilance officials said the complainant had approached the regional ayurvedic and unani office to obtain a licence to open a clinic. An application for the licence was submitted on April 16. Arjun Lal Ahirwar allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh for issuing the licence. Officials said the officer instructed the complainant to pay Rs 1 lakh as the first instalment and the remaining Rs 50,000 after the licence was issued. The complainant was allegedly told to hand over the money in the presence of junior assistant Ramakrishna Gupta.
Operation and Arrest
The complainant approached the UP vigilance establishment in Jhansi and lodged a complaint, stating that he wanted the officials to be caught red-handed. On Wednesday, the team arrested both accused while they were allegedly accepting Rs 1 lakh from the complainant.
The vigilance team is investigating further and will produce the accused before the court. This action underscores the state government's commitment to tackling corruption in public offices.
