In a major anti-corruption operation, the Uttarakhand Vigilance Establishment on Friday arrested a UREDA Project Officer in Bageshwar while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹40,000. The action has created a stir within the administrative department.
According to vigilance officials, the complainant had approached the Vigilance Sector, Haldwani, alleging that the joint inspection reports for four of his solar power projects had been pending for a long time at the UREDA office. He claimed that Project Officer Dhirendra Singh Patwal was demanding ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per file to process the pending documents.
The complainant alleged that the officer demanded a total of ₹40,000 to clear all four files. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant reported the matter to the vigilance authorities and sought legal action against the accused.
After conducting a confidential verification, the Vigilance Department found the complaint to be prima facie genuine. Acting on the directions of the Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Establishment, Haldwani Sector, a trap team led by an inspector was constituted.
On Friday, the vigilance team carried out a planned operation at the UREDA office in Bageshwar. As soon as the complainant handed over the alleged bribe amount of ₹40,000 to Project Officer Dhirendra Singh Patwal, a resident of Rajnagar, Pirumadara, Ramnagar, Nainital, the vigilance team caught him red-handed and took him into custody.
Officials said further legal proceedings are underway in accordance with anti-corruption laws, and the investigation into the case is continuing.
