Ludhiana: Patwari, aide held for taking ₹3,500 bribe

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested a revenue patwari Sukhwinder Singh Sodhi, posted at Patwarkhana at Sector 32, Chandigarh Road, and his accomplice Amandeep Singh alias Deep, a resident of Dheri village near Meharban for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹3,500.

A VB spokesperson said the accused revenue official and his associate have been arrested on a complaint lodged by Telu Ram of Chandar Nagar.

He further informed that the complainant had approached the VB and alleged that the said patwari and his accomplice have been demanding a bribe of ₹3,500 for issuing jamabandi record of 30 years pertaining to his plot as he wanted to get a loan from bank.

The complainant further alleged that at the meeting, the patwari told him to meet his associate, Amandeep Singh alias Deep, who demanded ₹3,500 as a bribe. He demanded ₹500 on the spot and the balance ₹3,000 was to be paid to the patwari. The complainant had recorded the said conversation and submitted it to the VB as evidence.

The spokesperson informed that a preliminary inquiry was carried out after the complaint was received. A Vigilance team laid a trap and arrested Amandeep from the parking of the aforementioned patwarkhana while he was accepting the bribe money from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. Patwari Sukhwinder Singh Sodhi was arrested from his office.

Both accused will be produced in the competent court on Thursday. Further investigation into this case was under progress, the spokesperson said.