Khunti: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested the officer-in-charge of the Women Police Station in Jharkhand’s Khunti district after she was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 during a trap operation.
The accused, Sulekha Kumari Sapna, was taken into custody by the Ranchi unit of the ACB after officials allegedly caught her receiving the bribe from a complainant.
According to the ACB, the police officer had allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 to remove the name of an accused from a human trafficking and child labour case registered at the women police station and to provide relief during the course of the investigation.
Rather than paying the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB and lodged a complaint. After verifying the allegations, the bureau found sufficient preliminary evidence and planned a trap to catch the officer in the act.
On Thursday, the complainant handed over the marked currency notes to the officer as instructed by the ACB. Officials who were monitoring the exchange immediately arrested her after she allegedly accepted the money.
She was later taken to the ACB headquarters in Ranchi for interrogation and further legal formalities. Officials said a case has been registered against her under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and further investigation is underway.
The bureau is also examining documents and other evidence related to the case. After questioning, the accused will be produced before the competent court.
This is not the first corruption case involving the Khunti Women Police Station. In 2021, the then station in-charge, Meera Kumari, was also arrested by the ACB for allegedly accepting a bribe.
Reiterating its appeal to the public, the ACB urged people to report any government official or employee demanding bribes, assuring that complaints would be handled confidentially and action would be taken in accordance with the law.
With inputs from IANS