New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an Assistant Commissioner of Delhi’s Food & Supply Department for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe in connection with the allotment and distribution of ration cards, officials said on Friday.

The accused has been identified as Vinod Kumar, posted at the Asian Market office in Pushp Vihar.

According to the CBI, a case was registered against the accused on May 20 after receiving allegations that he had demanded illegal gratification at the rate of Rs 100 per ration card for the allotment of 475 ration cards.

Officials said that around 120 ration cards were proposed to be allotted to each nearby ration shop, including the complainant’s shop. Based on this calculation, the total amount allegedly demanded from the complainant came to nearly Rs 12,000.

The CBI said it conducted a trap operation on May 21 after verifying the allegations made in the complaint. During the operation, the accused officer was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant.

Following the successful trap, the accused was immediately taken into custody by the investigating agency.

The CBI said the case relates to alleged corruption in the ration card allotment and distribution process handled by the Food & Supply Department in the national capital.

Officials said the agency is examining whether similar demands were made to other ration shop owners as part of the allotment process. Investigators are also likely to scrutinise official records and transactions connected to the distribution of ration cards in the area.

CBI officials said searches and further examination of documents linked to the accused are being carried out as part of the ongoing probe.

The agency is also expected to question other officials connected with the ration card allotment process to ascertain whether a wider network of corruption was involved.

–IANS

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