Vigilance Bureau Takes Major Action Against Corruption
In a significant move against corruption in Punjab, the Vigilance Bureau arrested a patwari red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe. The arrest took place in the jurisdiction of sub-tehsil Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur district after officials conducted a trap operation based on a complaint filed by a local resident.
Officials stated that the accused patwari had demanded money in exchange for processing a land mutation case. Acting on the complaint, the Vigilance Bureau team laid a trap and caught the accused while he was accepting the bribe amount. The operation was conducted under the supervision of officials from the Amritsar range of the Vigilance Bureau.
Complaint Filed by Local Woman
According to information provided by the Vigilance Bureau, the case began when Jasbir Kaur, wife of Malkit Singh and a resident of village Sidhwan in Amritsar district, filed a complaint. She alleged that the patwari demanded money to settle a mutation matter related to her family’s land.
The complainant told officials that her father, Bachan Singh, a resident of Dhave village in Gurdaspur district, passed away in 2018. After his death, approximately three kanals of land were inherited by his children. However, a dispute arose when one of the sisters allegedly managed to get the land transferred solely in her name through fraudulent means.
When Jasbir Kaur became aware of the situation, she approached the authorities and submitted a written complaint to the Naib Tehsildar seeking a correction in the land records.
Patwari Allegedly Demanded Bribe
The case was assigned to patwari Vijay Kumar for investigation and resolution. According to the complainant, the patwari demanded ₹5,000 to process and settle the matter. Later, the deal was allegedly finalized at ₹2,000.
Instead of paying the bribe directly, Jasbir Kaur reported the matter to the Vigilance Bureau. After verifying the complaint, officials planned a trap operation to catch the accused.
Trap Operation Conducted by Vigilance Bureau
During the operation, the complainant handed over the marked currency notes to the patwari in the presence of official witnesses. As soon as the accused accepted the money, the Vigilance Bureau team immediately arrested him.
The officials recovered the bribe amount from the accused during the raid. The arrest was carried out under the supervision of Inspector Abhinashi Singh of the Vigilance Bureau’s Amritsar range.
Case Registered Under Corruption Laws
Following the arrest, a case has been registered against the accused patwari at the Vigilance Bureau police station in the Amritsar range under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Officials said further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused was involved in similar corruption cases in the past. The Vigilance Bureau reiterated its commitment to strict action against corruption in government departments and encouraged citizens to report such incidents without hesitation.
