Baghpat | In a major crackdown on corruption in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, a Vigilance team arrested District Supply Officer (DSO) Anoop Tiwari and Assistant Rationing Officer (ARO) Jogendra Kumar while allegedly accepting a bribe from a ration dealer. The duo was caught red-handed on Friday afternoon, triggering panic within the district supply administration.
The Vigilance team apprehended District Supply Officer Anoop Tiwari on the spot while he was allegedly taking ₹40,000 in cash as bribe. However, ARO Jogendra Kumar managed to flee with the money initially, but was later traced and arrested from Hapur after a brief chase. Both officials have since been taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
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The complainant, ration dealer Narendra Singh from Budhsaini village, alleged that both officials had been demanding illegal commissions from him for a long time. According to him, the officials had fixed a rate of ₹25 per quintal as commission and were continuously pressuring him to comply.
Narendra Singh stated that the pressure began soon after a fresh supply of government ration arrived at his shop last month. He alleged that both officers started insisting on payment immediately after the stock was received. When he refused to pay, the harassment intensified.
It is further alleged that on April 5, both officials visited the ration shop and accused the dealer of discrepancies in stock. They reportedly seized the e-POS machine from the shop and took it with them, increasing pressure on the dealer. The next day, when he approached the District Supply Office to resolve the issue, he was allegedly directly asked to pay the commission.
Following the complaint, the Vigilance department laid a trap after verifying the allegations. As per the planned operation, the team waited until both officials arrived to collect the bribe amount. They were then caught during the transaction, with the DSO arrested on the spot while the ARO initially escaped but was later detained.
The incident has caused significant unrest within the district supply department, with local officials and staff reportedly alarmed by the exposure of corruption at such a senior level. Public anger has also surfaced locally, as the case involves officials responsible for the public distribution system.
Administrative sources confirmed that both officials are currently being interrogated to determine whether similar illegal commissions were collected from other ration dealers in the past. Investigators are also examining the seizure of the e-POS machine to understand whether it was used as a tool for coercion.
Experts note that corruption in systems like the Public Distribution System (PDS) directly affects beneficiaries who depend on subsidised food supplies. When enforcement authorities themselves are implicated, it raises serious concerns about governance and accountability.
The Vigilance department has stated that strict action will continue against corruption without exception. A case has been registered against both arrested officials under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and further investigation is underway.
The case once again highlights the urgent need for transparency and stronger monitoring mechanisms in government welfare distribution systems to ensure that benefits reach eligible citizens without obstruction and corruption is effectively curbed.
