The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan has recovered approximately Rs 2.9 lakh out of the Rs 3 lakh bribe allegedly accepted by Pratapgarh Station House Officer (SHO) Praveen Singh. The agency has registered a corruption case against Singh under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Senior officials have stated that the SHO's arrest is imminent, pending the completion of procedural formalities and the collection of additional evidence.
The operation, which took place on May 14, could not be officially executed as a trap due to an incomplete verification process involving the recording of the bribe demand. ACB Director General Govind Gupta explained that such recordings serve as crucial evidence in bribery cases. He said, "Although the recording was not adequate, our proactive surveillance led to the recovery of the bribe money from the SHO."
Investigation Details
The investigation was initiated after the ACB received a complaint alleging that SHO Singh demanded Rs 3 lakh to provide leniency for an accused detained at his police station. Following the complaint, ACB operatives sent a decoy to deliver an advance payment of Rs 20,000, accompanied by a hidden recorder. However, the recorded conversation failed to capture the bribe demand clearly enough for a legal trap.
Additional SP, ACB, Ratan Singh, who supervised the operation, said that the complainant handed over the advance amount, but the conversation related to the bribe demand was not recorded clearly enough to meet legal requirements for a trap. He stated, "While we were planning another verification exercise on May 18 itself, the SHO arranged for the accused to contact his employer and collect the remaining money. Once we received information about the transaction, our teams acted immediately."
Recovery and Evidence
The ACB recovered around Rs 2.9 lakh of the bribe amount, along with Rs 14,000 from the earlier Rs 20,000 allegedly paid as advance. Officials have recorded statements from the accused's employer and other supporting material. Further corroboration is being gathered before the arrest and filing of the chargesheet. Additional SP Ratan Singh added, "The case remains robust, and we are consolidating further evidence to fortify the prosecution before proceeding with the SHO's arrest and filing the chargesheet."
