Edu Dept JE caught taking Rs 4,000 bribe

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its drive against corruption, has apprehended Harjit Singh, Junior Engineer (JE), Education Department, posted at Kapurthala, red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000.

A spokesperson of the VB said the accused has been arrested following a complainant from a schoolteacher posted in Government School, Dhaliwal Dona, in Kapurthala district.

He further stated that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 for issuing a completion certificate in respect of a grant amounting to Rs 40 lakh, utilised by the school. The accused JE had already taken Rs 2,000 for this purpose and demanded the remaining money. The complainant has recorded the conversation with the JE while he was demanding the bribe and submitted it to the VB as an evidence.

The spokesperson said after preliminary verification of this complaint, the VB team laid a trap and the accused JE was caught red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000 as a second instalment from the teacher in the presence of two official witnesses.

In this regard, a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the JE at VB police station, Jalandhar range. The accused would be produced in the court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress.