Chandigarh November 7, 2024 – The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, has registered a corruption case against Harmandeep Singh, posted as personal assistant (PA) to deputy commissioner (DC) Tarn Taran, Harsimranjit Singh, clerk posted at Election Cell, Tarn Taran and his accomplice Jagroop Singh, Data Entry Operator, posted on contractual basis at Election Cell, Tarn Taran for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 20,000. In this case, authorities arrested Harmandeep Singh, PA, and Jagroop Singh, Data Entry Operator, while Harsimranjit Singh, the clerk, evades arrest.

An official spokesperson of the state VB disclosed today that they arrested the accused based on a complaint by Sandeep Singh, a resident of Mohala Tonk Kshatriya, Tarn Taran city. Singh alleged that the accused demanded a bribe of Rs 100,000 to clear Videography service bills from the recent Lok Sabha Elections 2024, but they negotiated the amount down to Rs 50,000.

The complaint further alleged that the accused had earlier accepted Rs 20,000 as the first instalments.

The spokesperson added that a VB team conducted a trap after a preliminary inquiry into this complaint, catching the accused, Harmandeep Singh (PA) and Jagroop Singh (Data Entry Operator), red-handed while accepting a second bribe installment of Rs. 20,000 in the presence of two official witnesses.

He added that the VB Police Station, Range Amritsar, has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. They will produce the accused in the competent court, and further investigations into this case are ongoing.