Chandigarh, November 10, 2024 – The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption drive, has  registered a corruption case against Harpreet Singh PCS, Assistant Labor Commissioner Hoshiarpur, and his office’s computer operator, Alka Sharma, for accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. Authorities caught Alka Sharma red-handed accepting a bribe of 30,000 rupees, and the local court sent her to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.. The other accused, Harpreet Singh PCS, is currently absconding.

Registered this case based on a complaint from Rohit Chauhan

    A VB spokesperson disclosed today that they registered this case based on a complaint from Rohit Chauhan, a shop owner in Kashmiri Bazaar, Hoshiarpur.

          The complainant reported to the Bureau that he owns a jewellery shop, which he recently renovated. He subsequently received a notice from the office of the Assistant Labor Commissioner, Hoshiarpur. When he visited the office, Alka Sharma, the computer operator, informed him that he would face a substantial fine, but she could help to resolve the matter by discussing it with her superior, Assistant Labor Commissioner Harpreet Singh.

          The spokesperson further stated that the complainant mentioned that Alka Sharma took the notice and went into Harpreet Singh’s office. Shortly after, the complainant was also called into the office, where Harpreet Singh PCS demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 in exchange for dismissing the notice. The complainant recorded the conversation related to the bribe demand and submitted it as an evidence to the Bureau.

PCS : During the operation, official witnesses caught Alka Sharma

          He further added that following a preliminary enquiry, the VB formed a team that included the complainant, an official shadow witness, and official witnesses, and laid a trap. During the operation, official witnesses caught Alka Sharma, the computer operator, accepting a bribe from the complainant, but they did not find Harpreet Singh, the Assistant Labor Commissioner, in the office.

          The spokesperson informed that the Bureau’s Jalandhar Range Police Station has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against both accused. They are conducting raids at various locations to apprehend Harpreet Singh PCS, the Assistant Labor Commissioner of Hoshiarpur.  Further investigation into the case is ongoing, he said.