PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Rudrapur
The high-voltage drama that started after the collection amin and assistant revenue accountant were trapped by the Vigilance in the case of alleged bribery of Rs 14, 000 in Sitarganj Tehsil finally ended after about 21 hours since the operation. Angered over the operation, the employees locked the main gate of the Tehsil office. Following marathon talks between the administration, revenue officials, and the Vigilance officials on Thursday, the Vigilance team eventually handed over the two employees to the Tehsil administration instead of arresting them. Subsequently, the employees opened the main gate of the Tehsil complex and allowed the vigilance team to exit.
On Wednesday, the Vigilance team had ‘trapped’ the collection amin, Madan Lal Sharma and assistant revenue accountant, Bhupendra Singh Rana posted in Sitarganj Tehsil while taking an alleged bribe of Rs 14, 000.
The Collection Amin Association, Lekhpal Association and Collectorate Ministerial Employees Association started a sit-in against the action in the Tehsil premises and locked the main gates. The agitating employees alleged that the Vigilance had termed the amount collected as government revenue as bribe, due to which the image of the revenue employees was tarnished.
On Thursday, a long discussion took place between senior revenue officials including SDM Tushar Saini, SDM Gaurav Pandey, tehsildars and naib Tehsildar and the Vigilance team members.
During the meeting, the revenue officials said that both the employees were collecting government revenue from the defaulters as per the rules, when the vigilance team claimed to have trapped them.
After examining the documents presented to them, the Vigilance said that they would investigate and then handed over both the employees to the Tehsil administration instead of arresting them.
However, Vigilance clarified that an FIR has been registered against both accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the investigation will continue. Further legal action will be taken based on the evidence and facts that emerge from the investigation, they declared.
