BATALA, 22 November 2025 — The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested SDM-cum-Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vikramjeet Singh Panthey from his official residence here late Friday, seizing unaccounted cash worth Rs 14 lakh, officials said.
Vigilance officials, arriving in three vehicles around 10 p.m., conducted a search at Panthey’s residence that continued until midnight. Word of the raid quickly spread, sending ripples through the city.
For months, sources said, corridors of the Municipal Corporation had been rife with rumours of corruption, with residents allegedly unable to get work done without paying off senior officials. “The MC had become the fountainhead of corruption. We often raised the issue during House meetings, but the Commissioner would silence us. He would say, ‘Such things should not be discussed in the House. Come and meet me personally,’” said a councillor.
According to sources, Panthey allegedly took cuts from tenders floated by the MC. The case came to light after a city resident, Amarpal Singh, filed a complaint with the Vigilance Bureau.
Amarpal told reporters he had carried out patchwork and repairs on city roads, submitting a bill of Rs 3.72 lakh. “When I met the Commissioner, he told me my payment would be released only after I paid him 10 per cent of the amount. I was also told to meet MC employee Rohit Uppal in this context. Later, when I worked on light and sound shows, I was again asked for 10 per cent,” he said.
Panthey had reportedly given additional charge of executive engineer to SDO Rohit Uppal, vesting extra powers with him, according to sources. “As I was not willing to pay bribes from my hard-earned money, I approached the Gurdaspur Vigilance Bureau unit, under whose jurisdiction Batala falls,” Amarpal added.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, has been registered at the Vigilance Bureau police station, Amritsar range. A councillor said Panthey’s arrest could have a cascading effect. “For the next few weeks, corruption will cease in the MC. Let us hope such a corrupt-free atmosphere lasts long. It will benefit the common man,” he said.
