Sanjay Popli graft case: Complainant used pen camera to record handing over money

Kumar, a resident of Karnal in Haryana, said that he was allotted a tender worth Rs 7.5 crore for laying sewerage system in Nawanshahar by Punjab Sewerage Board when Sanjay Popli was posted as CEO.

Kumar said, “Soon after, I received a call on January 12 from assistant secretary, Sandeep Wats stating that the IAS officer was seeking his cut of 1 per cent. I immediately withdrew the money and we met him in a car. I used a pen camera and recorded him while accepting the bribe. In the video, Wats is also seen talking to Popli stating that he had received an amount of Rs 3.5 lakh and the rest would be given by me later.”

He added that he did not think of complaining against the IAS officer then. “But when Wats still chased me, even after Popli was transferred out of Sewerage Board, I was harassed. When I observed that Punjab’s Vigilance Bureau had arrested many big-wigs for bribe, I decided to complain against them. I registered a complaint with the anti-corruption helpline. After that the VB officials got in touch with me and I have handed them the video. There are several audio recordings of the calls made to me by Wats also.”

Kumar said he was harassed by the duo when he did not hand over the second instalment, “I received a call from a police officer in Abohar stating that he had received a complaint of sexual harassment against me. I have never been to Abohar. How could I harass any woman there? The case could not stand as I had an alibi,” he said.

The contractor, who applies for tenders of government projects, said he had not complained during the previous Congress government, “I knew nobody would help me. It was a corrupt government. It is only now that the Bhagwant Mann government is nailing corruption.”