Change of property ownership: Ludhiana Municipal Corporation clerk suspended for demanding bribe

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, March 22

Following a complaint, MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal has suspended a clerk deployed at the MC’s Zone B office for allegedly demanding bribe from a city resident.

The Commissioner took the action after 49-year-old Kawaljeet Singh Sehgal of New Shivaji Nagar accused a clerk, Hitesh Kumar, of demanding ‘bribe’ from him. Sabharwal has also ordered inquiry and appointed Joint Commissioner Ankur Mohindru as an investigating officer to probe the matter.

Sehgal, who runs an eatery, alleged that he had applied for change of ownership of a newly purchased 40-sq yard property but the clerk was allegedly demanding a bribe from him.

Sehgal alleged: “I had applied for the change of property ownership on February 14. I had been making repeated rounds to the office since then but my work had not been done. The clerk concerned was earlier demanding Rs 50,000 as bribe from me but he reduced the amount to Rs 20,000 but I could not pay bribe. The clerk was threatening to raise objections to my application. Why should I pay bribe to him when I have paid property tax and water supply charges and submitted required documents to the MC?”

He alleged: “The clerk used to eat free of cost ‘nutri kulche’ from my shop but I never refused him the same.”

“After I raised my voice, the clerk assured me that my work would be done. But, there were many others who also face harassment as their works are not being done on time. I am demanding from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take strict action to eliminate corruption from MC and other government offices,”, Sehgal said.

Meanwhile, another visitor alleged: “Corruption is prevailing in MC offices while the people have been left to suffer. We demand from the Chief Minister to take action to end corruption from MC offices. The process for obtaining various certificates from the MC should be made easy. Moreover, corrupt employees should be terminated from jobs.”

On the other hand, an official of the MC said: “The clerk told us that he had not demanded any bribe from any person. According to the clerk, the allegations are baseless and fake. The clerk said the applicant had not submitted all required documents for the change of property ownership.”

Zonal Commissioner Ankur Mohindru said: “We will inquire into the matter and take strict action.”

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