Chandigarh April 18 :
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has submitted a chargesheet against MLA Bathinda rural Amit Ratan Kotfatta and his PA Rashim Garg in the Bathinda court in a case FIR No. 1, dated 16-02-2023 registered under sections 7, 7A of prevention of corruption act and section 120-B of IPC at Vigilance Bureau police station, Bathinda range.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said on 16.02.2023, the Bathinda range VB team has registered a corruption case against the above mentioned private PA of MLA Bathinda rural after he was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs four lakh. During the investigation, the said MLA was also arrested in this case on 20-02-2023 as his PA has received the bribe on behalf of MLA.
Giving more details of this case, he added that a grant of Rs 25 lakhs was issued by the government under the 15th Finance Commission during the year 2022-23 to village Ghuda, district Bathinda, whose bills were pending. The said private P.A. Rashim Garg had demanded a bribe of Rs five lakhs from the Sarpanch of village Ghuda. On 16.02.2023 he was arrested red-handed by the VB while he was receiving a bribe of Rs. 4 lakhs in lieu of to facilitate release of said grant. The said Sarpanch had already given Rs 50,000 as demanded by them.
The spokesperson said that during the investigation of this case, it has came to light that this bribe was obtained by the said accused Rashim Garg on the directions of MLA Amit Ratan. Apart from this, he had received bribe of Rs 2,50,000 from Gurdas Singh of village Ghuda, in lieu of for getting him the Numberdari of his village. On the basis of findings of alleged bribes, the VB has added another section of 120-B of IPC in the said case and nominated the MLA Amit Ratan in the present case and thereafter arrested on 22-02-2023 from Shambhu. Both the accused are in judicial custody and in the jail. Further investigation of this case was under progress, he said.
–
