Jaipur, July 6 (IANS) Acting on the directions of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Headquarters, the ACB Special Unit, Jodhpur, on Sunday arrested Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Hardevram of Shastri Nagar Police Station, Jodhpur Commissionerate, while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000.

Director General, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govind Gupta, said the ACB Special Unit received a complaint alleging that the accused officer had demanded a bribe in connection with the investigation of cross FIRs arising out of an assault case involving the complainant’s husband.

According to the complaint, both cases were being investigated by ASI Hardevram. The complainant alleged that the accused initially accepted Rs 5,000 to provide relief in the case registered against her husband.

Subsequently, he allegedly summoned one Sundaram to the police station and demanded Rs 50,000, claiming the amount was meant for the Station House Officer (SHO) in return for extending favours in the investigation and removing the names of Sundaram and two other persons from the case. The complainant further alleged that the accused continued to pressure and harass her for payment of the bribe.

After verifying the complaint, the ACB laid a trap under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General, ACB Jodhpur Range, Narayan Togas. The operation was led by Additional Superintendent of Police, ACB Special Unit, Jodhpur, Omprakash Chaudhary, along with Police Inspector Umesh Kumar Bishnoi and his team.

During the trap operation, ASI Hardevram was caught red-handed at the complainant’s residence while allegedly accepting Rs 40,000 as part of the demanded bribe. The tainted money was recovered from the trouser pocket of the accused.

Further interrogation and legal proceedings are being carried out under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police, ACB, Smita Srivastava, and Inspector General, ACB, S. Parimala.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act is being registered, and further investigation is in progress.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has appealed to the public to support its anti-corruption campaign by reporting incidents of bribery through its 24×7 toll-free helpline, 1064, or WhatsApp helpline, 9413502834.

The Bureau has assured citizens of full assistance in ensuring that their legitimate work is carried out without corruption.

–IANS

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