Kullu: Vigilance raided the office of Food Safety Department in Kullu and arrested three employees including Assistant Commissioner and Food Safety Officer on the charge of taking a bribe of 1.10 lakh from a hotel businessman. According to the investigating officer, the bribe amount was being taken to settle a case. Vigilance has registered a case and started an investigation. The bribe amount was recovered from the peon.
According to Vigilance DSP Ajay Kumar, hotel businessman Padam Chand had complained that Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Kullu had issued a notice to his hotel in Manali for keeping wrong branded papad, unsafe cooking oil.
The Assistant Commissioner demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to settle the notice issued under the Food, Safety and Regulation Act, 2011. On the complaint, Vigilance laid a trap in a planned manner on Friday and the complainant handed over the bribe amount to the peon of his office, Keshav Ram, as per the instructions of the officer.
Taking action, Vigilance recovered the bribe amount of Rs 1.10 lakh from the peon in the presence of Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Kullu Bhavita Tandon, Food Safety Officer Pankaj. After this, Vigilance first detained the three accused for questioning, after which they were arrested.