In a major victory for anti-corruption efforts, the CBI has arrested Vinod Kumar, a peon and assistant meter reader at Delhi Jal Board’s Seelampur unit, alongside private individual Nitin Kumar. The pair was trapped accepting the remaining Rs 6,500 of a Rs 12,000 bribe from a local resident desperate to settle water bill discrepancies.
The complaint, filed on February 8, painted a picture of systemic abuse: Vinod had already collected Rs 5,500 on February 3, leveraging his position to ‘fix’ the bills. CBI’s meticulously planned trap on February 9 sprung perfectly, capturing the act on record.
With both men remanded for questioning, the probe aims to expose any wider complicity in the department. CBI reaffirmed its resolve, stating such operations are crucial to curbing venality in public services that millions rely on daily.
Citizens witnessing extortion by officials are implored to report immediately. The ACB Delhi office at CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, stands ready, alongside helplines 011-24367887 and 9650394847.
This comes hot on the heels of a Delhi Police ASI’s arrest in a parallel bribery case, where advance payments were seized. Together, these cases mark a robust phase in Delhi’s battle against bureaucratic corruption.