Vigilance Bureau nabs Panchayat Secretary taking Rs 20000 bribe

Chandigarh April 21, 2025 -

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Monday, arrested Gurmel Singh, Panchayat Secretary, posted in Block Development and Panchayats Office, Barnala for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20000.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the aforementioned accused has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by a contractor from Patiala.

He further added that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that he had installed a solar pump on the Panchayat land at village Fatehgarh Chhana, in Barnala district costing Rs 3,84,000 in the year 2023 but the above said Panchayat Secretary had demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 as a commission for forwarding the bills.

The spokesperson informed that after a preliminary verification of this complaint a VB team laid a trap during which the above said Panchayat Secretary was  arrested accepting a bribe of Rs 20000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against both the accused at VB police station Patiala range. They would be produced before the competent court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.