A major corruption scandal has surfaced during an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigation, revealing entrenched bribery within the system. The probe found that ASP Surendra Sharma of the ACB allegedly collected a hefty monthly bribe of Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh from various police stations across the district, along with a similar amount from the district’s transport department. Further inquiries revealed that Sharma was also regularly receiving kickbacks from officials allegedly supporting the illegal gravel mining mafia. Officials from the Forest and Mining Departments have been implicated, and the ACB plans to summon them for questioning. Earlier, the ACB issued notices to 12 police station officers and transport officials in Sawai Madhopur. Arrest preparations are underway, marking a significant crackdown on institutional corruption.
Preparations are underway to arrest the SHOs of eight police stations in Sawai Madhopur, along with four officers from the Transport Department, in the ongoing bribery case. The ACB headquarters has submitted a preliminary report to the Police Headquarters, based on information obtained during the interrogation of the arrested ASP, an inspector, and their two brokers. Acting on this report, the Police Headquarters has initiated strict action against the accused SHOs involved in the monthly bribery racket. This marks a significant step in the crackdown on corruption within the police and transport departments.
Police Stations Under Investigation
In the ongoing monthly bond case, the ACB is investigating police stations including Chauth ka Barwara, Barwara Kalan, Khandar, Rawanjna Dungar, Soorwal, Kotwali, Marlan Dungar, Mantown, and Kandara in Sawai Madhopur. The probe revealed that the arrested ASP Surendra Sharma and ACB inspector Soni were extorting a monthly bond of Rs 2 lakh from each police station officer in collusion with the gravel mafia. Sharma allegedly threatened officers who refused to pay, warning them of being caught red-handed taking bribes from the mafia. Using this fear of entrapment, the accused officers collected between Rs 6 to 8 lakh every month through this illegal racket.
Bribe Collection Network Spanned Multiple Departments
The ACB investigation also revealed that the arrested ASP and Inspector had activated agents to collect monthly bribes from the District Transport Department, Forest Department, and Mining Department offices in Sawai Madhopur. Besides private agents, the accused officers involved employees and officials from these departments in the bribery network. As part of the probe, the ACB arrested two private agents, Pradeep and Ramraj, along with District Transport Officer Punyaram Meena. Meena was responsible for delivering the monthly bribes from the Transport Department to the two ACB officers. Following his arrest, the ACB is now preparing to apprehend officials from the Forest and Mining Departments implicated in the bribery racket.
Ongoing Probe And Call Record Analysis
ACB Director General Dr Ravi Prakash Meharda stated that the information obtained from the interrogation of the five accused arrested in the Monthly Bond case is currently being verified. Additionally, the investigation is ongoing to gather evidence against other suspects based on call records from the arrested individuals’ mobile phones. As part of this process, notices have been issued summoning 12 other accused to the ACB headquarters for questioning.