Booked for Rs 5 lakh graft, AETC 'escapes' action as government fails to give prosecution sanction

PATIALA: While the enforcement directorate (ED) has initiated a probe into the allegations of hefty grafts being paid to excise officials by those operating the illicit liquor manufacturing unit in Gandian village near Shambhu border, one of the assistant excise and taxation official (AETC), who was booked by the state vigilance bureau in January this year, for accepting Rs 5.1 lakh graft, has managed to "escape" action as the state government has failed to grant the prosecution sanction against him even after six months.
AETC Rajesh Bhandari, who was working with the Mobile Wing Chandigarh-2, and posted at Shambhu Barrier, was booked by the state vigilance bureau on January 15 under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The case against him was registered at Patiala.
As per the records, one of the transporters from Ludhiana had alleged that Bhandari had demanded a Rs 50 lakh graft from him and that the matter had been settled for Rs 5 lakh, which was paid to his driver Gurmail Singh, who had also accepted a sum of Rs 10,000.
As per the vigilance records, after receiving a complaint from the Ludhiana based transporter, the vigilance laid a trap during which Gurmail Singh was arrested red-handed and a sum of Rs 5.1 lakh was recovered on him. at the same time, in the presence of witnesses, Gurmail called up Rajesh Bhandari following which the bureau booked him in the case and he was arrested.
Considering the facts and evidence put on records by the vigilance bureau, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Patiala, denied him regular bail on March 9.
However, the vigilance bureau could not file the challan against Bhandari within the stipulate 60-days time frame, as a prosecution sanction was not been granted by the concerned authorities. Therefore, on March 16, the same court granted him bail.
According to the sources in the state vigilance department, even after six months, the challan has not been filed in the court, which has further weakened the prosecution’s case against the accused person.
Superintendent of Police Patiala Vigilance Bureau, Jaspreet Sidhu, when contacted said the department was waiting from the prosecution sanction after which the challan will be presented in the court.