In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has caught a rent collector of the Punjab Wakf Board red-handed while accepting a hefty bribe. The arrest took place in the Zira area of Ferozepur district, sending a strong message against graft in government departments.
The Trap and Arrest
Mohammad Iqbal, the accused rent collector posted at the Punjab Wakf Board in Zira, was apprehended on Tuesday by a team from the bureau's Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The officials laid a meticulous trap after a formal complaint, leading to Iqbal's arrest at the very moment he was accepting Rs 3 lakh as part of the illicit demand.
The operation was conducted in the presence of two official witnesses, solidifying the case against the accused. This sum was being taken as the second instalment of a total bribe demand that had initially been set at a staggering Rs 5.40 lakh.
Details of the Corruption Case
The case came to light when a resident of Gurudwara Singh Sabha in Zira approached the Vigilance Bureau. The complainant alleged that Iqbal was demanding the bribe on behalf of a senior official. The money was purportedly for facilitating the possession of a piece of land that had been allotted to the complainant by the Wakf Board.
Investigations revealed that the process had already involved substantial legitimate payments. The complainant had paid government fees amounting to Rs 2.98 lakh via cheques made in the name of the Punjab Wakf Board. This amount included the rental for the property to be taken on lease. During a raid on the accused's office, the VB team successfully recovered these cheques.
Prior to the trap for the Rs 3 lakh payment, the accused had already extracted a partial amount. He had taken Rs 70,000 as 'token money' from the complainant, marking the first instalment of the illegal demand.
Legal Action and Implications
Following the successful trap operation and arrest, the Vigilance Bureau has registered a formal case against Mohammad Iqbal. The case has been filed under the stringent Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station of the Economic Offences Wing in the Ludhiana range.
This arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to tackle corruption at the grassroots level, particularly in departments dealing with public land and resources. The recovery of the government cheques also points to a brazen misuse of official procedure, where legitimate payments were allegedly being used as leverage for illegal gratification.
The bureau's prompt action based on a citizen's complaint highlights the importance of such mechanisms in upholding accountability. The case is expected to undergo further investigation to determine if other officials were involved in the bribery scheme as alleged by the complainant.
