Minister’s PA, assistant and clerk arrested for taking bribe

Express news service, Fri, Sep 23, 2011, Mumbai:

The Mumbai unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday caught the personal assistant (PA), assistant and clerk of the Minister for School Education red-handed for allegedly accepting bribe. The officials were arrested from Mantralaya after a trap was laid by the ACB.

According to ACB officers, PA Deepak Karande, clerk Pravin Bodke and assistant Prashant Andhare were arrested after they allegedly sought bribe from a complainant. “The complainant is the secretary of an educational institution. He had sent a proposal to start English medium in the institution for Class VIII to XII. The file was pending here, so the complainant went to meet Andhare,” said an ACB officer.

“Andhare told the complainant he will forward the file to higher authorities if he was given Rs 50,000. When the complainant said he couldn’t shell out such a large sum, Andhare told him to give Rs 30,000, failing which he would not send the file for approval,” said the officer.

Seeing that Andhare will not budge, the complainant paid him Rs 15,000. Andhare then told him that he will forward the file only when the complainant pays up the remaining amount. He also told him to speak to the minister’s PA for further work.

“The complainant then went to the PA, who asked him for Rs 90,000. Tired of paying bribes, he filed a written complaint against the assistant and the PA. A trap was then laid for them,” the officer said.

A team of ACB officials waited outside and as the two accused took bribe and were arrested. “They confessed that they asked for a bribe. The PA was caught while he was taking part payment of Rs 50,000. We also arrested the clerk Bodke who also asked the complainant for Rs 15,000. Further investigations are on,” said the officer.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ministers-pa-assistant-and-clerk-arrested/850439/

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Soon, a 24X7 helpline to register bribe complaints

PTI, New Delhi, October 21, 2011

Harassed by corrupt babus demanding bribe or delaying work?

Aggrieved persons will soon be able to seek help through a 24X7 toll free number, 1964, to be made functional by the Central Vigilance Commission.

According to country’s anti-corruption watchdog officials, the number will act as a one-stop solution for all complaints related to corruption.

“The anti-bribery helpline will assist complainants in their problems related to unnecessary lingering of work in a concerned government department due to demand of undue favours or gratification by public servants,” a CVC official said.

He said a full-fledged call centre will also be set up to provide services round the clock.

“People will be able to register complaints related to bribery being faced by them in all the central government ministries, departments and public sector units, among others,” the official said.

However, complaints related to Delhi Government or its departments will not be resolved through the proposed helpline or by the Commission since it does not come under its jurisdiction.

The number, 1964, assumes significance as the Central Vigilance Commission was set up in February 1964 by the government.

“We have worked out the technical modalities with the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). There are few things needed to be worked out with other stake holders. We plan to start it within two-months time,” the official said.

Presently, the CVC has a toll free number 1800-11-0180 and 011-24651000 which is operational between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

“The 1964 will be working seven days and there will be no such time limitation to register complaints,” the official added.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2558831.ece

Ex-cop gets 3 years in jail in graft case

New Delhi, October 03, 2011

A former police officer has been given a three-year jail term by the Delhi high court for demanding a monthly bribe of Rs 10,000 from a businessman in 1995.

Upholding the trial court's conviction order against Satish Chandra, posted as sub-inspector at Vasant Kunj police station at the time of the incident, the court dismissed his appeal and directed to take him to custody forthwith.

“I am of the view that the appeal is without merit and hence, consequently deserves to be dismissed... Resultantly, the accused shall be taken into custody forthwith," the court said, while rejecting the judgements cited by Chandra to defend himself in the case.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Ex-cop-gets-3-years-in-jail-in-graft-case/Article1-752882.aspx

Govt official jailed for taking bribe to disburse compensation to Sikh riot victims

Express News Service, Fri, Sep 02, 2011, New Delhi:

A Delhi government official has been sentenced to three and half years in jail by a court for taking bribe from a 1984 anti-Sikh riots victim for releasing compensation to the family.

Special CBI Judge Dharmesh Sharma on Thursday sentenced 53-year-old Naib Tehsildar I K Takkar, a revenue clerk posted in the office of Najafgarh Sub Divisional Magistrate in West Delhi, for taking bribes five years ago.

“To my mind, the convict, in spite of being a public servant, was totally oblivious of the pain and suffering of the riot victims and by demanding and accepting the bribe from the complainant showed utter lack of sensitivity and depraved human approach,” the judge said, while also imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 upon the convict.

Takkar, who was dealing with disbursement of compensation to 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, was found guilty of demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from Gurmeet Singh Kapoor in August 2006 for releasing over Rs two lakh to him as compensation for the death of his grandfather Inder Singh Kapoor and uncle Paramjeet Singh Kapoor in the pogroms, which took place in the aftermath of the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi. Takkar was arrested by CBI for allegedly accepting the bribe money in a trap laid by CBI following Kapoor’s complaint.

During the trial, Takkar had contended that the money had been thrust into his hands but the court rejected it saying, “when money was so thrust upon him, assuming his version to be true for the sake of convenience, he did not protest nor made any hue and cry or threw it away”.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govt-official-jailed-for-taking-bribe-to-dis/840466/

DC says he has to take permission of Commissioner to not take bribes

It is no secret that residents of the national capital face rampant corruption that exists in various government offices, but if the attitude of the government officials is anything to go by then the wait for a corruption free country is a long one. This was what people learnt when they visited the Deputy Commissioner office, Central District, Daryaganj, New Delhi launching the “Say No To Bribe” campaign.

Nearly 100 people had gathered at DC office with a declaration in hand stating that the offices of the DC office would not accept bribe or allow their colleagues to take bribe. Surprisingly, the Deputy Commissioner, Akash Mohapatra, outrightly refused to sign the declaration saying that he would have to first seek the permission of the Commissioner. Yashwant Singh, an IAC volunteer, who was a part of a team of three persuading the DC to sign the declaration, informed that the DC fist said that they were not allowed to do so under existing rules. However, he had no answer when he was asked to cite the rules. Later the DC said he can sign the declaration only if the Commissioner permits. He also asked the volunteers to visit the commissioner’s office which was nearby to seek permission. Rajkumar, another member of the team, said, “It is shocking that the DC refused to sign a piece of paper that just said he would neither indulge in corruption himself nor allow his colleagues to do so.” This was contrary to the attitude of some of the junior staff who willingly signed the declaration. In total, 21 officers signed the declaration.

The volunteers proceeded to paste stickers stating “Bhrashtachar Nished” (corruption free zone) across the campus. The volunteers then peacefully sat outside the office of the DC shouting slogans of “Inqalab Zindabad”, “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Red-Tapism Down Down”. However, this had no effect on the DC who quietly left the office premises without signing any declaration.

They sat in protest outside the office of the DC till late evening. Later the volunteers left the venue vouching to come back again.

The “Say No to Bribe” campaign was launched under the banner of India Against Corruption. Starting this week, the volunteers plan to visit various government offices with the tricolor in hand and get declarations signed from officials. Similar initiatives are already being held in Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai.

UP transport staff kill truck driver for refusing bribe

Agencies, Mon, Sep 26, 2011, Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh:

A truck driver was killed today allegedly by Road Transport Office (RTO) staffers after he refused to pay bribe during a vehicle checking drive in Naubatpur locality in Sayyadraza area here, police said.

Anant Lal Gupta, 50, from Kaushambi district, was allegedly beaten to death around 5 am by some members of the RTO staff, Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur, said.

The victim's son Ashwini, 23, who worked as a cleaner with his father, said: “One of the constables of the RTO Department took the vehicle for weighing centre and found the truck was not overloaded. He still demanded Rs 1,000.”

His father was willing to pay only Rs 500 after which the RTO constables and one Shiv Kumar of the weighing centre beat him brutally, causing his death, he said.

After the incident, angry locals blocked the National Highway-2 in protest and turned violent, pelting stones at the police when they tried to disperse the crowd, Mathur said.

A police constable was injured in the incident. The police fired in the air and baton-charged crowds to control the situation, he said. An FIR has been registered in the incident, Mathur added.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/up-transport-staff-kill-truck-driver-for-refusing-bribe/852006/