Inspector arrested for 50k bribe in Punjab

Damini Sharma

North News

Chandigarh, October 11

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Jatinder Kumar, an inspector posted as Station House Officer (SHO) at Phagwara City Police Station, along with his accomplice, Jaskaran Singh alias Jassa, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000. The arrests were made following a complaint from Kulwinder Kaur, a resident of Chachoki village near Phagwara. Kulwinder Kaur alleged that Kumar had detained her son, Harshdeep, his wife, Ashima, and brother-in-law, Ansh Sharma, while they were dining in March. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against Harshdeep, prompting Kumar to demand the bribe in exchange for not implicating his wife and brother-in-law.

Giving details, the VB spokesperson said that Kumar later requested an additional Rs 50,000 to exclude Harshdeep’s mobile phone and jewelry from the evidence. Kaur complied, fearing further repercussions. Additionally, Kumar allegedly pressured her to pay bills totaling Rs 35,000–40,000 for nursery plants and pots, which she also paid. He subsequently demanded Rs 1 lakh for filing a favorable court challan but settled for Rs 50,000, which Kaur recorded as evidence.

After a preliminary investigation, a VB team set a trap, leading to Kumar and Singh’s arrest while accepting the bribe in the presence of official witnesses. A case has been registered against the duo at the VB police station in Jalandhar, and further investigations are underway.