CBI arrest senior Punjab IPS officer on graft charge (Lead)

Chandigarh, Oct 16 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday arrested a senior Indian Police Service officer of the 2009 batch, presently posted as DIG, Ropar Range, Punjab, along with a private individual, in a bribery case involving Rs 8 lakh.

The officer was also allegedly seeking recurring monthly illegal payments from the complainant.

A case was registered by the CBI against the accused public servant and his associate on allegations that the officer demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh and monthly illegal gratification through his middleman for “settling” an FIR registered against the complainant and ensuring that no further coercive or adverse police action was taken against his business.

The CBI laid a trap and caught the private individual red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 8 lakh from the complainant on behalf of the DIG at Sector 21, Chandigarh.

During the trap proceedings, a controlled call was made to the public servant, during which he acknowledged the payment and directed the middleman and complainant to come to his office.

Subsequently, the CBI team apprehended the public servant from his office and arrested both accused in Chandigarh.

During searches at various premises linked to the public servant in Punjab and Chandigarh, the CBI recovered substantial cash and incriminating material, including cash of approximately Rs 5 crore (and counting); jewellery weighing about 1.5 kg; documents pertaining to immovable properties and assets in Punjab; keys of two luxury vehicles (Mercedes and Audi); 22 luxury watches; locker keys; 40 litre of imported liquor bottles; and firearms one double barrel gun, one pistol, one revolver, one airgun, along with ammunition.

The recovery from the middleman, including cash of Rs 21 lakh. Both accused have been arrested and will be produced before the designated court on Friday.

Searches and further investigation are continuing, said the prime investigation team.

--IANS

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