VB nabs ESI clerk for taking Rs 15,000 bribe to clear bills : The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state on Wednesday apprehended Ravinder Singh, Clerk, posted in ESI Dispensary Dhandari Kalan, Ludhiana for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000.
Stating this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned accused has been arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by Rajwant Singh, a resident of village Chankoian, Ludhiana district, who is employed as peon at Guru Harkrishan Public School, Doraha.
The complainant has recorded in his statement that he had got medical treatment at DMC Hospital Ludhiana and being a beneficiary of free medical treatment under ESI scheme, his bills amounting to Rs 4,78,136 are pending for clearance in the ESI dispensary.
The complainant further alleged that the concerned dealing clerk namely Ravinder Singh has demanded Rs 30,000 bribe in lieu of clearing his bills otherwise he would pass bills for the amount of Rs 1,25,000 only out of the total amount. The accused clerk advised the complainant to give the bribe in two instalments of Rs 20,000 in advance and remaining 10,000 later.
He further added that Ravinder Singh Clerk also told the complainant that he has to further share the bribe with the concerned officer at Chandigarh also. The complainant also made recording of his conversation with the accused in his phone.
The spokesperson informed that after a preliminary investigation of this complaint the VB range Ludhiana laid a trap and the said accused has been arrested while he was accepting Rs 15,000 as a first instalment of bribe from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has registered at police station VB range Ludhiana. Accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and role of other officials would also be probed during the investigation, he added.
