2 Bengal civic volunteers caught taking Rs 10,000 bribe for passport check, arrested

Two civic volunteers at the Haringhata DIB office were caught taking Rs 10,000 in a passport verification case. The trap operation has widened scrutiny of illegal payments linked to routine public services.

In Short

• A Nadia resident complained about money being sought for passport processing
• Officials verified the allegation before planning a trap at Haringhata office
• The complainant arrived with the cash at the pre-arranged time

Two civic volunteers attached to the District Intelligence Branch (DIB) office in West Bengal's Haringhata were arrested on Monday after the state's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) caught them accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000, officials said.

The arrests followed a complaint from a resident of the Nimtala Bazar area in Nadia district. The complainant told the ACB that the two civic volunteers had demanded Rs 10,000 in connection with the processing of passport verification.

ACB SETS UP TRAP

After receiving the complaint, ACB officials conducted a preliminary verification and planned a trap operation at the Haringhata DIB office.

The operation was carried out on Monday. As part of the plan, the complainant reached the DIB office with the bribe money at the specified time.

The ACB team caught the two civic volunteers while they were accepting the money. Both were subsequently taken into custody and arrested.

The two accused were attached to the Haringhata DIB office, which comes under the Ranaghat Police District. The agency is now examining their role in the passport verification process and the circumstances surrounding the demand for money.

PROBE UNDERWAY

Following the arrests, the ACB initiated legal proceedings against the two civic volunteers. Investigators are examining the complaint, the circumstances of the transaction and other evidence collected during the trap operation.

Officials are also expected to establish whether the two volunteers acted on their own or whether others were involved in the demand for money.

The ACB conducts trap operations after receiving complaints of bribery involving public services. In such operations, investigators verify the complaint and arrange for the complainant to hand over the demanded amount while officers monitor the transaction.

The latest operation has also brought attention to complaints of illegal payments being sought in connection with routine government-related services such as passport verification.

LEGAL ACTION INITIATED

Both civic volunteers have been arrested and further legal proceedings are underway. Investigators will determine the exact circumstances of the alleged bribe demand and whether the evidence collected during the trap supports the charges.

The ACB is also examining the official duties performed by the two volunteers at the Haringhata DIB office and whether the money was sought in exchange for influencing or processing the passport verification.

Officials said the investigation is continuing and further action will be taken in accordance with the law based on the evidence collected.

The arrests come after the complainant approached the anti-corruption agency instead of paying the demanded amount without reporting the matter.

The ACB's trap operation resulted in both civic volunteers being caught while accepting the money, following which they were taken into custody.

- Ends