Mohali: The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has arrested a subdivisional officer (SDO) of the mining department posted in Derabassi for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh in a case linked to illegal soil excavation.The arrest follows a complaint received through the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line portal and is part of the state govt’s ongoing drive against corruption.The vigilance sleuths said the accused, identified as Ramanjot Singh, had initially demanded Rs 40 lakh from the complainant. Following negotiations, the alleged bribe amount was reduced to Rs 19.40 lakh.The complainant alleged that the SDO sought the money in return for not taking action against him for lifting soil from his own land.A vigilance bureau spokesperson said the accused accepted Rs 8 lakh as part of the agreed amount. During the inquiry, the complainant submitted audio recordings that reportedly supported the allegations, following which a criminal case was registered.Based on the findings of the preliminary verification, the VB registered an FIR against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Vigilance Bureau police station in Mohali.The accused has been arrested and further investigations are under way to ascertain the full extent of the alleged corruption and determine whether any other individuals were involved, officials said.
