A team of State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested a Junior Engineer (JE) of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and a private contractor in Sonepat on Monday evening for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh to sanction an electricity connection for a poultry farm in the Bhatgaon village.
The accused have been identified as Sooraj, JE posted in Bhatgaon, and contractor Rahul. ACB’s Rohtak unit has registered a case against them under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
In his complaint to the Vigilance Bureau, a government teacher said he had set up a new poultry farm on his land and applied for a power connection. However, the connection was not sanctioned and the electricity meter was not installed.
The complainant alleged that when he approached JE Sooraj regarding his grievance, the JE asked him to meet contractor Rahul. Rahul then demanded Rs 2 lakh for the power connection, load approval, laying a power line, and installing a new meter.
Following the complaint, ACB’s Rohtak unit formed a team and laid a trap. As planned, when the complainant handed over Rs 1.5 lakh to the contractor, the ACB team caught him red-handed.
After a preliminary inquiry, JE Sooraj was also arrested once his role in demanding the bribe came to light.
The accused will be produced before the court on Tuesday.
