Drug Control Officer booked in graft case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 29

A Drug Control Officer of UT has been booked and a local resident arrested by the Vigilance Department for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 80,000 and taking Rs 25,000 as first instalment.

Vigilance officials said Ashok Narula, a resident of Sector 63, had been arrested, while Drug Control Officer Sunil Chaudhary was absconding. Chaudhary is the husband of a judicial officer who is posted in Haryana.

The complainant, who owns a surgical store in Dhanas, had reported that around a month ago, Chaudhary and Narula visited his shop for checking. Chaudhary told him that there were many shortcomings at his shop and it would be sealed.

The complainant further alleged that Chaudhary took his signature on a paper and Narula told him that the matter could be settled for Rs 1 lakh. After negotiations, the bribe amount was reduced to Rs 80,000. Narula asked the store owner to bring the money to his office in Sector 20, but he couldn’t arrange the money.

After a few days, the store owner went to the GMSH, Sector 16, to meet Chaudhary where Narula was also present. The duo again demanded bribe from him.

He approached the Vigilance Department. A team trapped Narula while taking Rs 25,000 from the store owner.

A case under Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 has been registered. Narula was produced before the court today that remanded him in three-day police custody.