Official of Industry Dept arrested for taking Rs 40K bribe

The State Vigilance Bureau on Thursday caught Tilak Raj, a resident of Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000. Tilak Raj, currently serving as an Economic Investigator with the Single Window Clearance Agency (SWCA) under the Department of Industries at Sansarpur Terrace, was allegedly demanding the bribe in exchange for providing a favourable inspection report related to a leasehold land transfer.

The complainant, Prabhakaran, a resident of Barwara, Kangra, had approached the Vigilance Bureau, alleging that Tilak Raj demanded the amount to issue a positive inspection report for the transfer of leasehold rights of an industrial plot.

Acting swiftly, the vigilance team laid a trap and apprehended the official while he was accepting the bribe. In line with standard protocol, two independent gazetted officers were present as witnesses and confirmed the bribe transaction. A criminal case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) has been registered against Tilak Raj at the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station, Kangra at Dharamsala.

The accused will be produced before a judicial magistrate on Friday, officials said, adding that further investigations are underway.