Chandigarh, October 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested a private assistant to a Patwari red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹30,000 in connection with the correction of land revenue records in Chauke village of Bathinda district.
The accused, identified as Pritpal Singh, was working as the private assistant or agent of Patwari Maninder Singh, posted in the revenue estate of Chauke, tehsil Maur. According to an official spokesperson, the arrest followed a complaint lodged by a resident of Thikriwala village in Barnala district.
The complainant alleged that he and his siblings had purchased land in Chauke village in 2002. However, he recently discovered that the revenue records continued to show the name of the previous seller instead of the names of the new owners.
When the complainant approached Patwari Maninder Singh to get the records corrected, the Patwari directed him to contact his private assistant, Pritpal Singh. The latter allegedly demanded ₹1.5 lakh to facilitate the correction, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson further stated that during a subsequent visit to the Patwari’s office, Pritpal Singh took the complainant behind the office building and connected him with the Patwari over the phone. During the conversation, the alleged bribe amount was negotiated down to ₹1.4 lakh.
Pritpal Singh allegedly accepted ₹2,000 on the spot and asked the complainant to pay the next instalment on October 22, 2026.
Unwilling to pay the alleged illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau’s Bathinda Range. Acting on the complaint, the bureau laid a trap and arrested Pritpal Singh while he was allegedly accepting ₹30,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the Vigilance Bureau Police Station in Bathinda. Further investigation is underway, the spokesperson added.
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