Prem Shankar Gangwar, a village development officer (VDO), Shakti Farm Sitarganj, Udham Singh Nagar, was caught red-handed while taking a bribe of `5, 000 from one Govind Mandal, resident of Rajnagar, Sitarganj, by vigilance team, Haldwani sector, in the presence of two independent witnesses on Thursday.
The bribe was sought to have released the second installment fund for construction of Mandal’s house under Indira Awaas Yojana, said Ashok Kumar, additional DGP and director, vigilance department while interacting with the media persons on Thursday.
Kumar said that the matter was related to Sitarganj, Udham Singh Nagar wherein Govind Manda, resident of Ranjnagar, had registered a complaint in Vigilance Sector Haldwani on August 26.
Mandal had stated that a house being approved under Indira Awaas Yojana in the name of his mother Namita Mandal by the Government, his mother had secured `17, 500 as first installment under the scheme from the department concerned to complete building’s foundation.
With the released fund, he had completed the building’s foundation and approached VDO Gangwar to release the second installment to complete the house.
Gangwar had inspected under-construction house and taken photograph of the building’s foundation.
When he had approached the officer for the release of second installment, the officer had demanded bribe of `5, 000 for submitting final inspection report to the department concerned as a prelude to releasing the remaining amount, the complaint ran.
Angered over the officer seeking bribe in such an unabashed way, Mandal had approached SP Vigilance, Haldwani Sector and registered a complaint.
The vigilance department officers had verified the initial complaint with the help of vigilance officers. Thereafter, the teams drafted a plan to trap the accused.
SP Vigilance subsequently formed a trap team headed by inspector Mohan Chandra Durgapal. Inspector Uttam Singh Jimiwal, constables- Abdul Majid and Israr Navi were included in the team.
They were asked to verify the efficacy of the complaint. After the complaint was found correct, the SP Vigilance sought permission from the department concerned and after it was obtained, he asked team to trap the accused under the supervision of DSP Sridhar Prasad Badola.
Following the direction of vigilance officer, Govind Mandal again met Gangwar and finalised the deal.
Gangwar asked him to reach his home located at main Bazaar, Shakti Farm, Sitarganj between 10 am and 11 am on Thursday.
VDO Gangwar was caught taking a bribe of `5, 000 from Mandal at his home by vigilance team, Dehradun around 10.15 am on Thursday. Gangwar reportedly manhandled the policemen and turned and twisted to escape.
However, his escape bid proving abortive, he was taken into police custody. SP (Vigilance) Dehradun VKS Karki was also present in the press conference.