Vigilance Bureau arrests SHO in Rs 80,000 bribery case

Chandigarh, October 6, 2023:

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing crusade against corruption in the state, has arrested an Inspector Gurwinder Singh, posted as Station House Officer (SHO) police station Dharmkot, Moga district while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.

          Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB informed that said police official has been arrested on a complaint lodged by Sukhwinder Singh, resident of Village Nurpur Hakima (Dhani Malook Singh), Tehsil Dharmkot.

          He further added that the the said complainant has approached the VB range office in Ferozepur and recorded a statement alleging that to trace his stolen truck-trailer he had initially visited the police station Kot Ise Khan, Moga district and met the above said SHO who demanded Rs one lakh to help in this regard but the deal was eventually settled at Rs 80,000. Subsequently, the SHO had taken Rs 50,000 from the complainant as an advance instalment and the complainant told him to pay the remaining balance after his truck-trailer would be discovered.

          The complainant further alleged that he revisited the police station Kot Ise Khan but discovered that the said SHO has been transferred to Dharmkot as SHO. He met him at his new posting station where the said police personnel has demanded the remaining balance of bribe to recover his vehicle from Gujarat. Thereafter, the SHO has taken Rs 20,000 from the complainant as second instalment at the spot in the police station and instructed him to pay the outstanding money promptly.

          Unwilling to succumb to this corrupt practices, the complainant decided to approach the VB Range office. Subsequently the complainant has recorded the conversation while the said SHO was demanding the remaining balance of Rs 10,000 and handed over to the VB office as an evidence.

          The spokesperson further informed that following a preliminary inquiry, the VB has registered a corruption case against the SHO after finding him guilty in this case. Thereafter, the VB team laid a trap, resulting in the red-handed arrest of SHO Gurwinder Singh Bhullar while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

          In this regard, a case under FIR 26 dated October 5, 2023, under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, has been registered at police station VB range Ferozepur against the said police personnel. The apprehended accused would be presented before the court and further investigation into the case was under progress.