Chandigarh, May 2 (UNI) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Thursday arrested general manager of Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (PUNSUP)Ajit Pal Singh Saini while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs one lakh, officials said.
Saini also holds charge of procurement, storage, commercial and construction.
An official spokesperson for the state VB said on Friday that the arrest has been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Ferozpur district.
He said the complainant approached the VB and alleged that the PUNSUP general manager was demanding a cut of 10 per cent of the total embezzled amount of about Rs 1.25 crore, the price of 14,090 paddy bags allegedly shown under bogus purchase, and demanded Rs 2 lakh as a first instalment. However, the deal was settled for Rs One lakh.
The complainant is a commission agent (ahartiya) at mandis in Shahzdi and Mana Singh Wala, in Ferozepur. During the purchase of paddy by PUNSUP in 2024, around 34,250 paddy bags were found less during physical inspection of stocks in rice mills.
The commission agent firm of the complainant was allegedly involved in reporting bogus purchase of total about 34,250 paddy bags. He was later directed to deposit the deficient amount of Rs 2.97 crore. The complainant deposited Rs 2.50 crore with PUNSUP as recovery.
Eventually, the complainant filed a representation with the managing director, PUNSUP that gate passes
of about 19,040 paddy bags were deleted from online portal by the district manager, Ferozepur and inspectors of PUNSUP Ferozepur. He said he was wrongly fined for these bags.
Thereafter, Saini approached the complainant through a common acquaintance Kanwal Deep and demanded a bribe for settling the matter in favour of the complainant.
The complainant recorded an audio conversation of the accused wherein he demanded Rs 2 lakh as first instalment.
Earlier district manager Ferozepur and two inspectors of PUNSUP Ferozepur have also been suspended by the department in the same matter.
Sources said that a preliminary verification of allegations were conducted discreetly and after finding the allegations prima facie to be true, a VB team from flying squad laid a trap during which the general manager was caught at Mohali.
A case has been registered at the VB police station at Mohali. The VB team has recovered the bribe amount from Saini's possession. Further investigation into this case was under progress.
UNI GS PRS