New Delhi [India], October 23 (HBTV): The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi arrested a tout red-handed on Wednesday for accepting a bribe of INR 50,000 on behalf of officials of the Sub-Registrar-I, Kashmiri Gate, police said.
The accused, identified as Keshav Joshi, worked as a deed writer in the Sub-Registrar’s office.
‘On October 21, the ACB received a complaint from an advocate of the Supreme Court of India against Keshav Joshi, who was operating as a deed writer near the office of Sub-Registrar-I, Kashmiri Gate,’ said a police official.
According to the complaint, the accused had initially demanded INR 3 lakh on behalf of officials of the Sub-Registrar’s office to facilitate the registration of a sale deed for a property located at Ahata Thakur Dass, Sarai Rohilla, Delhi. After negotiations, the bribe amount was settled at INR 1.6 lakh, police added.
Finding the demand unethical, the complainant attempted to meet the Sub-Registrar but was denied access and advised by office staff to contact the accused instead.
‘Aggrieved by the unethical and unreasonable demands of the accused, who works as a deed writer, the complainant approached the ACB Delhi for legal action,’ said the official.
The complainant met Assistant Commissioner of Police Jarnail Singh, who examined the complaint and briefed the Deputy Commissioner of Police and the ACB on the matter.
A raiding team was then formed under the supervision of ACP Jarnail Singh and overall supervision of Shweta Singh Chauhan, DCP (ACB). The team comprised Inspector Bhagwan Singh, Inspector Ajeet Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector Pawan Kumar, Head Constable Krishan, and Head Constable Ashish.
On October 22, the ACB team, along with the complainant and a panch witness, reached the designated meeting point near the Sub-Registrar-I office. Upon the panch witness’s pre-decided signal, the accused was apprehended while receiving INR 50,000 as part of the agreed bribe amount, in the presence of five witnesses.
A case under Section 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered by PS ACB, and the accused has been arrested. Further investigation is underway, officials said. (ANI)