Punjab VB identifies 48 revenue officials taking bribe through middlemen

The Punjab vigilance bureau has identified 48 tehsildars and naib tehsildars who were allegedly taking bribes through deed writers and other private persons, during registration of properties across the state.

The bureau has given the list of these officials to the Punjab chief secretary, who has further sent it to the additional secretary-cum- financial commissioner of the revenue department for further action.

The bureau has also submitted the names of middlemen, who used to demand and collect bribe from people on behalf of the revenue officials. The middlemen included Vasiiqa-Naviis (deed writers), advocates, registry clerks and private persons.

According to the letter sent to the chief secretary, the bureau received inputs that these revenue officials had roped in middlemen to do their bidding. The middlemen used to write codes on the documents after receiving bribe, and the payment used to be handed over to officials on the same day.

The bureau also alleged that these officials are causing losses to the state exchequer by showing commercial property as residential and urban property as rural property.

The vigilance also alleged that in some cases, the officials were extorting money from the public by telling them that the property doesn’t have a no-objection certificate, even as it wasn’t required.

A senior official of the vigilance bureau confirmed that they have sent the list to Punjab chief secretary.