Magistrate arrested for taking ‘bribes’
GURGAON: The vigilance bureau of the Haryana government arrested a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) for allegedly collecting "bribes" from trucks and dumpers transporting mining materials from Rajasthan to Haryana. Though the accused SDM is now posted at Tosham, the corruption cases date back to 2010 when he was posted in Mahendergarh.
According to the vigilance bureau, it is the first time when an official of state service rank has been arrested in a corruption case by them. Now the accused, Satbir Singh, has been admitted to a government hospital in Narnaul after he complained of chest pain.
"We are seeking to take the accused on remand. The board of doctors at the hospital will take a decision on this on Thursday and we hope he will reveal more during interrogation," said Sheel Madhur, inspector general of state vigilance bureau. He added that one Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Dadri, had lodged a complaint with the investigating agency that he had two trucks which he used to transport stones and other building materials.
According to the vigilance bureau, it is the first time when an official of state service rank has been arrested in a corruption case by them. Now the accused, Satbir Singh, has been admitted to a government hospital in Narnaul after he complained of chest pain.
"We are seeking to take the accused on remand. The board of doctors at the hospital will take a decision on this on Thursday and we hope he will reveal more during interrogation," said Sheel Madhur, inspector general of state vigilance bureau. He added that one Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Dadri, had lodged a complaint with the investigating agency that he had two trucks which he used to transport stones and other building materials.
The SDM's clerk, Dharmbeer, was demanding monthly "fee" in the name of overloading and this was Rs 3,500 per truck. Pradeep had alleged that the clerk kept the receipts which were already signed by the SDM. The clerk had given similar receipts to another person named Rajkumar who was deployed at a dharam kanta (goods weighing machine). He was also collecting the monthly "fee" from trucks.
After receiving the complaint, a vigilance team raided in Mahendragarh, but Dharambeer had escaped after getting a hint of the raid. However, it managed to arrest Rajkumar and recovered signed challan receipts. Rajkumar revealed that he had got the receipts from Dharmbeer.
Officers said that though a deputy superintendent of police was in constant touch with the SDM, he had allegedly misled him and kept telling that he was busy with some work or the other. They even said that though the vigilance bureau had lodged an FIR against the SDM for misuse of public office, he had managed to evade arrest.
However, on Wednesday morning, a vigilance team reached Tosham and arrested him from his house around 8.30am and produced him before a city court in Narnaul. An official release said that the anticipatory bail application of the accused officer had had been dismissed by Punjab and Haryana high court.
After receiving the complaint, a vigilance team raided in Mahendragarh, but Dharambeer had escaped after getting a hint of the raid. However, it managed to arrest Rajkumar and recovered signed challan receipts. Rajkumar revealed that he had got the receipts from Dharmbeer.
Officers said that though a deputy superintendent of police was in constant touch with the SDM, he had allegedly misled him and kept telling that he was busy with some work or the other. They even said that though the vigilance bureau had lodged an FIR against the SDM for misuse of public office, he had managed to evade arrest.
However, on Wednesday morning, a vigilance team reached Tosham and arrested him from his house around 8.30am and produced him before a city court in Narnaul. An official release said that the anticipatory bail application of the accused officer had had been dismissed by Punjab and Haryana high court.
Sanjay Yadav
The Times of India as appeared in the pages of The Heyo Critiq Daily
