The Special Police Establishment (SPE) of the lokayukta nabbed Satna Municipal Corporation Commissioner Surendra Kumar Kathuria accepting Rs 12 lakh cash and gold worth Rs 10 lakh to facilitate removal of encroachment.
According to the lokayukta officials, Kathuria was nabbed while accepting bribe from director of City hospital Dr Suchitra Agrawal.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Rewa lokayukta, Devesh Pandey said, action was taken on the complaint of Nursing Home Operator Dr Agarwal who complained that Kathuria had demanded cash worth Rs 40 lakh and gold worth Rs 10 lakh for not demolishing the encroachment from his nursing home. Kathuria red-handed while taking Rs 12 lakh in cash and gold worth Rs 10 lakh as the first installment of the bribe.
A 20-member team caught red handed Kathuria in the afternoon on Monday. An FIR has been registered in this matter. Further investigation is underway.
Earlier the Satna Municipal Corporation had earlier sent a demolition notice to the nursing home and when the complainant contacted the accused who demanded Rs 50 lakh which
Satna Municipal Commissioner caught taking bribethe complainant refused to pay but later agreed to pay a part of the bribe. The complainant lodged a complaint with the lokayukta and based on the complaint accused was nabbed.
The commissioner, a state administrative service officer, demanded the bribe from the nursing home owner for not razing the unauthorized parts of the medical facility.
A case was registered under Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigation into the matter has been started.
Notably, Surendra Kumar Kathuria was recently awarded by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his excellent performance during Simhastha arrangements, in a programme in Bhopal.