Swachh Sarvekshan survey bribery scandal exposed, 2 officials arrested

A major bribery scandal has come to light in the Swachh Sarvekshan 2024 survey conducted within the Municipal Corporation, Phagwara. Two officials — appointed by the Quality Council of India (QCI) for the verification of Water and GFC Star rating — have been arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe to manipulate the city's rankings.

Municipal Commissioner Dr Akshita Gupta, told the correspondent here today that officers Ravi Kumar and Gulshan Kumar arrived in Phagwara on March 22 to collect data and reports related to the survey.

Dr Gupta said during the third day of the assessment, Ravi allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1.80 lakh from municipal officials, later negotiating it down to Rs 1.50 lakh after consulting a higher official over a phone call.

According to Dr Gupta, the accused officer allegedly told municipal officials that he was not acting alone and that half of the bribe amount was to be forwarded to his superiors. When the officials refused to comply, he reportedly threatened them with poor scores in the survey, warning that Phagwara’s municipal ranking would be deliberately downgraded. He further asserted that he had the authority to influence the final ratings, making it clear that the demand for money was linked to manipulating the city's evaluation.

Realising the severity of the situation, the municipal officials secretly recorded a video of the bribery demand and promptly reported the matter to Municipal Commissioner Dr Gupta. Taking immediate action, she informed the police department, leading to the swift arrest of the two accused.

Phagwara Superintendent of Police (SP) Rupinder Kaur Bhatti confirmed that a case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. “Both accused have been taken into custody and an investigation is underway to uncover further links in the case,” she stated.

The exposure of this bribery scandal has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the Swachh Sarvekshan survey process. The municipal authorities have vowed to ensure a fair and transparent assessment, while the law enforcement agencies are expected to take strict action against those involved in corruption. More details are awaited as the investigation progresses.