Absconding patwari held in bribery case

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Vipan Kumar, a patwari posted at Nawanshahr, who had been absconding for three weeks in a bribery case. His accomplice, Rampal, was earlier caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000 on his behalf.

A VB spokesperson stated that the case was registered on a complaint from a resident of New Abadi, Nawanshahr. The complainant told the VB that patwari Vipan Kumar had demanded Rs 5,000 bribe to process the mutation of his ancestral house.

Acting on the patwari’s instructions, he had already paid Rs 2,000 in advance to Rampal, a middleman deputed by the patwari.

The spokesperson added that following a preliminary verification of the complaint, the VB laid a trap on February 14 and apprehended Rampal red-handed while accepting Rs 3,000 bribe from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

Meanwhile, the patwari managed to flee. Since then, the VB had been conducting raids at his residence and other locations, leading to his eventual arrest.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against both accused at the VB Police Station, Jalandhar Range.