Chandigarh, November 1: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Friday said it has arrested a man from Amritsar district while he was accepting a ₹5 lakh bribe on behalf of the station house officer (SHO) of Chheharta police station.
The accused, identified as Lalit Arora, a resident of Chheharta, was caught red-handed by a Vigilance Bureau team from the Amritsar range during a trap operation. A VB spokesperson said Arora was apprehended while taking the bribe amount from a local resident in the presence of two official witnesses.
According to the Bureau, the complainant had approached the agency alleging that the SHO and his team had raided his house, accusing him and his cousin of involvement in drug trafficking. The police reportedly told the complainant that a car carrying narcotics belonging to him had been seized and warned that a criminal case would soon be registered.
“The complainant later contacted Lalit Arora, who is known to the SHO, seeking help in the matter. Arora allegedly demanded ₹25 lakh on behalf of the officer to avoid registering a drug case,” the VB spokesperson said.
The complainant told the Vigilance Bureau that he could not pay the full amount immediately and agreed to arrange ₹5 lakh as part payment, which Arora accepted. The Bureau said a trap was subsequently laid after verifying the allegations, leading to Arora’s arrest while accepting the money.
A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station, Amritsar range. “The accused will be produced in court on Saturday. Further investigation is in progress,” the spokesperson added.
