Vigilance nabs ASI taking Rs 25K as bribe

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 17

The Vigilance Bureau on Saturday nabbed an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) while “extorting money” from a local resident, Ranjit Sehdev. ASI Satnam Singh is posted at Golden Avenue police post.

Vigilance SSP RK Bakshi said Satnam had been threatening Ranjit Sehdev, a jeweller, of implicating him in a case. He was arrested red-handed while taking Rs 25,000 as bribe.

DSP Tejinderpal Singh said the ASI had threatened Sehdev of implicating him in the infamous case wherein unknown persons had slapped Congress councillor Jeet Singh Bhatia last month. The police had arrested three persons in this connection. One of the accused, Abhishek Sharma, managed to get bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC). Carrying bail papers, Abhishek, accompanied by Ranjit Sehdev, went to meet ASI Satnam Singh. Sehdev was there as a guarantor.

However, the ASI threatened to implicate Sehdev in the case. He also denied “bail” to Abhishek. He demanded Rs 50,000 from Sehdev. Earlier, he took Rs 25,000 from him.

Perturbed over the threats, Sehdev approached the Vigilance Bureau which laid a trap and arrested the ASI red-handed. This time, the ASI was accepting the second installment of Rs 25,000 when he was caught.

Further investigation is under way to ascertain if he extorted money from any other person. A case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against him.

The case

• Congress councillor Jeet Singh Bhatia was slapped last month. The police have made some arrests. 
• An accused, Abhishek Sharma, managed to get bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• Carrying bail papers, Abhishek, accompanied by Ranjit Sehdev as guarantor, went to meet ASI Satnam Singh. 
• The ASI threatened to implicate Ranjit in the case and demanded bribe, so the victim contacted Vigilance sleuths following which a trap was laid to nab him.