Himachal Pradesh Vigilance Team Arrests Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety Officer, and Peon for Bribery. 

Shimla:

In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Himachal Pradesh Vigilance team arrested three individuals, including an Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety and Regulation, a Food Safety Officer, and a Peon, for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs. 2 lakh. The arrests were made on Friday after the trio was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe at the Food Safety Office in Kullu.

According to Vigilance officials, Assistant Commissioner Bhavita Tandon had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 2 lakh from Padam Chand, a hotel owner, in exchange for suppressing a complaint related to food safety violations at his establishment. The complaint, filed last year, accused Padam Chand of selling unsafe food products, including the use of substandard brand papad and cooking oil. To prevent any legal action and a notice under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2011, Padam Chand was asked to pay the bribe.

After receiving a tip-off, the Vigilance Department set up a trap to catch the accused in the act. On the day of the operation, Padam Chand arrived at the Food Safety Office in Kullu with Rs. 1.1 lakh, which was the first installment of the bribe. Tandon instructed the Food Safety Officer, Pankaj, to take the money, who then directed Padam Chand to hand it over to the Peon, Keshav Ram.

As soon as Padam Chand handed over the Rs. 1.1 lakh to Keshav Ram, Vigilance officials swooped in and arrested all three individuals. The bribe money was seized immediately from the Peon in the presence of the other two officials.

The Vigilance Department has filed a case against the trio under relevant anti-corruption laws, and further investigation is underway.

This arrest highlights ongoing efforts by the Vigilance team to root out corruption within government offices and ensure accountability among public servants.