Home Guards commanders booked for graft

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 28

The Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, on Saturday booked District Commander Nirmala and Platoon Commander Anmol Moti, respectively, of the Punjab Home Guards, for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 2.4 lakh from Home Guards volunteer Sewa Ram to extend his retirement age.

The SSP, Jalandhar, Vigilance Bureau, said the volunteer, Sewa Ram, had lodged a complaint in this regard on anti-corruption helpline number (9501200200), which was investigated by the VB, Jalandhar Range. The complainant stated that at the time of recruitment on May 17, 1988, he had written his age as 25 years in the recruitment form and did not mention any specific date of birth.

The SSP further added that the complainant had submitted his plaint that platoon commander Anmol Moti had called him to his office on May 1, 2021, and introduced him to the then District Home Guards Commander, Nirmala, where he informed about his retirement in May 2021. However, he informed the officials that his date of birth was August 25, 1970, and was due to retire around seven years later, but Nirmala demanded bribe through Anmol Moti to increase his date of retirement.

He informed that to get extension in his service tenure, the complainant had given Rs 2.4 lakh to the platoon commander on different dates as per the demand of the aforesaid district commander who further handed over the bribe amount to the accused (Nirmala).

The SSP revealed that during the investigation it was found that the accused District Commander, despite the fact that Sewa Ram was to retire from the job, with the intention of extending his tenure, increased the date of retirement of Sewa Ram as August 25, 1970. By doing so, the District Commander and the Platoon Commander, now posted at Traffic police station, Jalandhar, have misused their official position as a public servant and obtained bribe amount from the complainant, he added.

He said on the basis of these allegations, a case under Sections 7, 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section and 120B of the IPC had been registered against both the accused at the Vigilance Bureau, Jalandhar Range police station, and further investigation is under progress.

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