ATO Bathinda, his gunman summoned for joining investigation
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption, has arrested Constable Sukhpreet Singh, a gunman attached to the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Bathinda for collecting monthly bribes amounting to Rs 20-25 lakhs from transporters with the help of their accomplices. The Mohali court has sent him on four days police remand to the VB for further questioning.
Disclosing this an official spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said this arrest was made based on an online complaint submitted by Dharam Singh, a transporter from village Lehra Dhurkot, near Rampura in Bathinda district, on the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line.
The spokesperson stated that the complainant had alleged that his trucks and tippers were being challaned by the Assistant Transport Officer (ATO) and Constable Sukhpreet Singh and Jaggi Singh, a private individual from Maur in Bathinda, were demanding Rs 1,800 per truck as monthly “protection money” on behalf of Ankit Kumar, Assistant Transport Officer (ATO) Bathinda, and others, to ensure that their commercial trucks and tippers were not penalized. The said ATO had challaned his stationary vehicles and under pressure he already had paid Rs 15000 through Google pay on the mobile phone number provided by Guranjit Singh, gunman of said ATO. The complainant had recorded conversations with the accused, which were submitted to the VB as an evidence.
During the enquiry of this complaint, the allegations were verified as the accused were found to be soliciting bribes in exchange for allowing the complainant’s transport vehicles to operate without interference. Based on the complainant’s statement and the audio evidence, an FIR has been registered against Constable Sukhpreet Singh and Jaggi Singh at the VB Police Station, Flying Squad-1, Punjab, in Mohali.
Upon confrontation by the VB Flying Squad team, Constable Sukhpreet Singh admitted to demanding and accepting bribes from transporters. He further revealed that approximately Rs 20-25 lakhs were being collected monthly from transporters, facilitated by private individuals and accomplices.
During interrogation, Constable Sukhpreet Singh disclosed that private individuals, including Jaggi Singh and some smaller transporters, were being used to collect the bribes. He also revealed that Constable Guranjit Singh, another gunman attached to ATO Ankit Kumar, was collecting Rs 8-10 lakhs monthly from transporters, while he himself was collecting Rs 7-8 lakhs from the remaining transporters.
The spokesperson added that the role of ATO Bathinda, his gunman Guranjit Singh and other individuals was now under investigation and have been summoned to join the probe so that they could be confronted with the evidence, including the confessions made by Sukhpreet Singh. The spokesperson further hinted that additional revelations are expected as the investigation progresses.
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