The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in line with the zero-tolerance policy against corruption adopted by the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has filed a corruption case against an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Baljinder Singh (No. 890/Mks) and Senior Constable Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi (No. 183/Mks), both posted at CIA staff Malout, Muktsar district, for demanding bribe from a drug trafficker.
In this case Senior Constable Gurpreet Singh Gopi has been arrested and efforts are underway to arrest the second accused. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said this case has been registered against these police officials following an investigation into a complaint lodged by Balbir Singh, alias Bira, a resident of Sherawala village in Sri Muktsar Sahib district, on the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line.
According to the complaint, these police personnel had demanded a bribe of Rs 2,50,000 to avoid registering a false case for a large recovery of narcotic pills and drugs against him, later agreeing to accept Rs 60,000 as bribe.
He further informed that during the investigation, recordings submitted by the complainant confirmed that Senior Constable Gurpreet Singh initially demanded Rs 2,50,000 and later reduced it to Rs 60,000, while ASI Baljinder Singh explicitly agreed to take this bribe.
This evidence established that both officers colluded in demanding a bribe. Based on this investigative report, a case has been registered against both the police personnel prevention of corruption act at the VB Police Station, Bathinda range.
Senior Constable Gurpreet Singh of the CIA staff Malout has been arrested, and further investigation into this case was under progress. Efforts are also underway to arrest the other accused, ASI Baljinder Singh, soon, he said.