Punjab Newsline | Panipat
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a data entry operator associated with the Treasury Department in Haryana’s Israna, Panipat district, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹20,000 in exchange for processing retirement benefits and restarting the pension of a retired health inspector.
The accused, identified as Surender, was working as a data entry operator through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN). He was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting the bribe during an operation conducted by a five-member ACB team on Wednesday.
The action followed a complaint filed by Dharampal Sharma, a resident of Israna who retired from the Health Department as a health inspector.
According to the complaint, Sharma was entitled to receive various government retirement benefits and pending dues after his retirement. He had applied to the concerned office to get the payments released and his pension restarted. However, he allegedly faced repeated delays while following up on the matter.
Sharma alleged that Surender initially demanded ₹30,000 to process the work. The amount was later reduced to ₹20,000. He further alleged that he was harassed when he refused to pay the bribe, prompting him to approach the ACB.
After receiving the complaint, the ACB conducted a preliminary inquiry and devised a plan to catch the accused. On Wednesday, Sharma was asked to hand over the bribe money to the operator. As soon as the accused allegedly accepted the ₹20,000, the ACB team caught him red-handed.
The accused is being questioned, and further action is underway in the case.
According to Sharma, he was entitled to receive retirement benefits and other government dues amounting to approximately ₹50 lakh to ₹60 lakh. The alleged bribe demand was linked to the process of restarting his pension and releasing the pending benefits.
