The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), as part of its ongoing anti-corruption drive, has arrested Sub-Inspector (SI) Raman Kumar, who was serving as the Station House Officer (SHO) at Bulowal Police Station in Hoshiarpur district, along with Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gurdeep Singh. The duo was caught on Sunday for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹1,50,000.
According to an official Vigilance Bureau spokesperson, the arrests were made following an investigation into an online complaint lodged by a resident of Asalpur village in Hoshiarpur district through the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line.
The complainant alleged that an FIR had been registered against his nephew under the NDPS Act, and the accused officers were pressuring him by threatening to implicate his son under Section 29 of the same Act. The ASI reportedly demanded ₹1,50,000 on behalf of the SHO to exclude his son from the case, but after negotiations, the bribe amount was lowered to ₹1 lakh. The complainant secretly recorded conversations where the accused officers discussed the bribe and submitted the audio evidence to the VB.
Following a verification process by the Vigilance Bureau Hoshiarpur unit and legal consultation, a case was registered against both officers under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Section 61(2) of the BNS, and Section 59 of the NDPS Act at the VB Police Station in Jalandhar Range.
“Both accused have been taken into custody and will be presented before the competent court tomorrow. Further investigation is ongoing,” stated Harpreet Singh Mander, SSP VB Jalandhar Range.