Cheeka councillor held for Rs 50-lakh bribe

In a major anti-corruption operation, the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Jitender Kumar, councillor of Ward No. 14 of the Cheeka Municipal Council, for allegedly demanding a Rs 50-lakh bribe in exchange for his vote.

According to officials, Jitender and two other councillors allegedly sought the bribe for not voting in favour of a no-confidence motion against the Municipal Council’s vice-chairperson. The voting for the motion had been scheduled for July 3.

Complainant Vijay Kumar, a resident of Cheeka, had lodged a complaint on June 20, alleging that the councillors demanded Rs 50 lakh and sought an advance of Rs 6 lakh in cash. Vijay secretly recorded their conversation and submitted the audio evidence to the ACB in Ambala.

“When the councillors realised that Vijay might take legal action, they denied the bribe and distanced themselves from the matter,” an ACB official said.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Madhuban confirmed that the voice in the recording matched Jitender’s, following which the ACB team arrested him from his shop in Cheeka Bazaar on Monday.

The official added, “If evidence is found against other councillors, action will be taken against them as well. We are investigating the involvement of others in this case.”