Patwari Arrested for Taking 20,000 INR as Bribe

Shimla, Aug 30

In the Narkanda area of Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, a vigilance team has apprehended a patwari (revenue officer) caught accepting a bribe of 20,000 INR while being red-handed. According to the information received, the patwari named Rakesh Kumar Sharma demanded 20,000 INR from Ram Lal, who was affected by a disaster, out of the relief fund of 1,20,000 INR that was provided by the government. Ram Lal’s house was destroyed in the disaster, and his family members were forced to vacate the house and stay elsewhere.

The state government had allocated a relief amount of 1,20,000 INR for the affected individuals. However, instead of disbursing the relief amount, the patwari himself demanded 20,000 INR. Following a complaint, the Vigilance Department formed a team under the leadership of Inspector Chhatr Singh and conducted a trap operation, catching the patwari red-handed. The Vigilance Bureau has registered a case in this matter, and an investigation is underway.