Ropar: Data entry operator at mining check-post booked for corruption

Tribune News Service

Ropar, August 14

The police have booked a data entry operator deputed at a check-post of the Mining Department after an audio clip went viral yesterday. In the clip, the accused, Sukhwinder Singh, could be heard telling someone that he used to collect Rs 200 from every truck passing through the check-post.

Interestingly, the audio clip also reached Principal Secretary Krishan Kumar who inspected different places in the district. Later, a case was registered against Sukhwinder Singh under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

SDO, Mining Department, Barjinder Singh said in order to keep a check on illegal mining, an inter-state check-post had been set up near Bikon village on the Nalagarh-Ghanauli road. Sukhwinder Singh was supposed to check the documents of all trucks carrying mining material passing through this check-post and keep a record of it.

In the audio clip, he could be heard saying that earlier he used to get Rs 200 per truck which had been stopped now, said the SDO.

In another development, Nurpur Bedi SDO Rajinder Kumar has lodged two complaints against Jeevan Kumar and his business partner at Siddhi Vinayak Stone Crusher allegedly for illegal mining and misbehaviour with officials.

Rajinder Kumar said anomalies were found in the records of stone crusher following which the stone crusher owners got enraged and started misbehaving with them. A complaint has been lodged at the Nurpur Bedi police station against the accused where a case under Sections 379, 506, 503 and 353 of the IPC and the Mines and Minerals Act has been registered against Jeevan Kumar and his business partner.

Jeevan Kumar, however, in a video message claimed that he was being implicated.

Similarly, Nangal SDO Shyam Verma lodged a complaint against Lovjeet Singh and his business partner at Kahlon Screening Plant and Stone crusher at Palata village. He alleged that when a team of officials reached the plant to check the records, people present there misbehaved and threatened them. A case under Section 379, 506, 503 and 353 of the IPC and provisions of the Mines and Minerals Act has been registered against the accused.

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