A senior accountant posted at the Superintendent of Police (SP) Office in Farrukhabad, Harendra Singh Chauhan, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Team after he was caught red-handed accepting a bribe.
The action was taken following a complaint filed by a staff member, who alleged that the accountant demanded money to move an official file forward. A preliminary verification of the complaint confirmed the allegations, after which a formal trap was laid. As soon as the accountant accepted the pre-decided amount, he was immediately taken into custody.
The arrest created a stir in the district police administration since the accountant had been under informal scrutiny for quite some time. Several employees had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with his working style, though no written complaint had been filed before this incident.
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Pattern of Delaying Files for Money, Employees Had Raised Concerns Informally
Early questioning has indicated that the accused had been delaying various files on purpose—ranging from payment approvals, salary matters and budget-related proposals to routine administrative clearances.
According to office staff, files would remain pending for days or even weeks unless the concerned person “settled” the matter with the accountant.
Many employees were reportedly frustrated with these practices, but most avoided lodging an official complaint due to the nature of internal office dynamics.
In this particular case, however, the complainant refused to pay the bribe and approached the Anti-Corruption authorities, leading to the successful laying of the trap.
Further Investigations Likely; Several Files Under Scrutiny
Following the arrest, the Anti-Corruption Team seized documents, the accused’s mobile phone and papers linked to suspicious financial dealings.
Sources say that the team will examine files cleared by the accountant over the past year to determine whether similar demands for illegal payments were made in other cases as well.
If the investigation points to a larger pattern of corruption, more employees may be called in for questioning and additional records may be brought under review.
Case Registered Under Prevention of Corruption Act; Departmental Action to Follow
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
He will be produced before the court after completion of formalities. Meanwhile, departmental proceedings for his suspension are already being processed.
The district police administration has stated that such acts of corruption will not be tolerated and similar complaints in the future will be dealt with strictly.
