HSVP official arrested for taking bribe from liquor businessman in Faridabad

Officials said that the businessman spoke to the junior engineer who demanded a ₹6 lakh bribe for not demolishing the two shops.

The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) arrested a junior engineer (JE) of Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) while allegedly accepting ₹1.5 lakh bribe from a liquor businessman in Faridabad in exchange of not demolishing two of the businessman’s stores which were served notices, officials said on Saturday.

On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered against the JE. (Shutterstock)

ACB officials said that accused Naresh Kumar, was caught when he was accepting the bribe money from the businessman on bypass road (NH-2) near the HSVP office in Sector 12, Faridabad, on Friday.

Officials said that the businessman was operating six liquor stores across Faridabad, out of which four were operating in rented premises.

As per ACB officials, HSVP had served the businessman notices to remove the two shops from their existing locations in Marlena and Shahupur Jaat chowk as they were illegally built. Officials said that the businessman spoke to the junior engineer who demanded a ₹6 lakh bribe for not demolishing the two shops.

A senior ACB official said that the businessman didn’t pay the money to the JE following which the shops were demolished on August 19.

“Now, the businessman was served notices for removing his shops at Ashoka enclave and Uncha village. The JE once again demanded ₹6 lakh bribe for avoiding demolitions, ₹3 lakh for each of the shops,” said the official.

The official said that this time the complainant entered into a negotiation and it was finalised that Kumar will not demolish the stores once he is paid overall ₹5 lakh for both the shops.

“The deal was finalised and at the same time, the businessman filed a complaint against the JE with the bureau. Kumar was arrested while taking the bribe on Friday,” he said.

On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered against the JE under relevant provisions of Prevention of the Corruption Act at the ACB police station in Faridabad on Friday.

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