₹2-lakh bribe sought by CSI on behalf of Chandigarh MC health supervisor: CBI report

Transcripts of conversations recorded covertly by the complainant make it clear that the municipal chief sanitary inspector (CSI) demanded ₹2 lakh on behalf of the health supervisor for reinstating the complainant as sanitary inspector, states the verification report of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI on Tuesday had arrested Sandeep Dhankar, health supervisor in the sanitary department, Chandigarh MC, and CSI Chander Mohan, and recovered ₹1 lakh from them.

Submitting transcripts of the conversation between complainant Jitender Kumar of Baltana and CSI Mohan in the verification report, CBI inspector Sharad Bhasin stated that Mohan agreed to accept ₹1 lakh as first instalment on August 8.

On August 7, following the directions of CBI sleuths, the complainant went to meet Mohan at the office of Medical Officer of Health in Sector 17, Chandigarh.

After Kumar reached near the office, Mohan asked him to meet him in a nearby park. Mohan sought ₹2 lakh from the complainant in the park and the conversation between the two was recorded by the complainant in an audio recorder provided by CBI.

As per the transcript of the recorded conversation, submitted in the CBI report, Mohan asked Kumar to keep his word and pay the first instalment in time.

Meanwhile, a special CBI court sent both the accused to judicial custody on Wednesday.

In his complaint to CBI, Kumar stated that on April 23, he met with an accident, following which he could not attend office and because of his absence, Dhankar terminated his services.

The complaint stated that on July 18, Mohan talked to him via WhatsApp call and sought ₹2.5 lakh for reinstating him. Later, Mohan told Kumar to pay minimum ₹2 lakh as Dhankar had demanded ₹4 lakh to reinstate him.

Mohan further told Kumar that he had requested Dhankar to allow him to join work for three months and if he does not pay up fully, Dhankar may remove him again.

As Kumar did not want to give money, he lodged a complaint with CBI on August 7.

The next day, a trap was laid and Mohan was caught red-handed accepting ₹1 lakh from Kumar on behalf of Dhankar, the CBI said in court.

Following Mohan’s arrest, a call was made to Dhankar, which he did not answer. “Later, Dhankar called Mohan and asked for his location. Dhankar was called near the electricity department in Sector 17. There, CBI also caught Dhankar red-handed with ₹1 lakh bribe in his possession. Also, in the audio recording, Dhankar was heard asking about the remaining amount,” CBI stated in its document submitted in court.

Both were arrested within a span of two hours. Later, searches were conducted and some “incriminating” documents were seized.

Seeking judicial remand, CBI pleaded that the case was in the initial stage, and important documents were yet to be collected and important witnesses yet to be examined.

CBI added that since, the accused were senior officers of MC, they could influence witnesses, tamper with evidences and evade the process of law.