“After verifying the accusation, the Lokayukta police caught PWD Engineer SC Verma red-handed on June 14 at Bhopal’s Jawahar Chowk, outside the PWD office, accepting 40,000 rupees as the first instalment of a one-lakh rupee bribe. The Lokayukta Police is now engaged in action.”
According to a report from TOI, the Civil Commissioner of Bhopal saw a Public Works Department (PWD) Engineer, S.C. Verma, take a bribe in the amount of Rs 40,000. Verma was caught in the act.
The PWD Engineer requested that the security money for the tender, which amounted to Rs. 100,000, be returned in exchange for a 6% stake in the company. The complaint was submitted by the individual identified as Govind Singh Chauhan.
Chauhan is said to have told the police that he intended to withdraw Rs. 75,000 from a fixed deposit in order to use it as a security money for the pole moving contract. In addition to it, the payment was required. In exchange, SC Verma, an executive engineer with PWD, demanded a bribe of 6 percent of the total sum, which was equal to Rs 1 lakh.
Following the verification of the allegation, on June 14, the Lokayukta police caught Verma red-handed at Jawahar Chowk, outside the PWD’s office, collecting 40,000 rupees as the first payment of a bribe of a total of 100,000 rupees. This incident occurred during the investigation into the complaint. The Lokayukta Police are now carrying out their operations.
Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (POCA) of 1988 states that a public servant who takes or agrees to accept any gratification other than lawful pay as a reward for displaying favour or disfavour to any person will be liable for imprisonment for up to three years, which may extend up to seven years, and a fine. This provision applies if the public servant accepts or agrees to accept any gratification as a reward for showing favour or disfavour to any other person.
According to Section 11, he will be punished with a fine and a minimum jail sentence of six months, with a maximum jail sentence of five years. According to Section 13, a public official who engages in behaviour that constitutes criminal misconduct will be held accountable for their actions and may be penalised with incarceration for a minimum of four years, which may be extended up to ten years, and shall also be obliged to pay a fine.
