UP: Health Education Officer arrested for accepting bribe in Prayagraj

A health education officer was arrested by the Vigilance Department for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000 from an applicant on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, Shailesh Yadav, SP, Prayagraj, said: "We had received a complaint from a person named Raj Kumar Yadav, who alleged that he was being asked Rs 70,000 for a clinic license. We investigated the case and found that the accused was infamous for accepting bribes and complaints against him had been registered before."

He further stated that the police team and members of the Vigilance Department formulated a discreet plan to nab the accused identified as Pankaj Kumar Pandey.

"We discreetly taped him, and caught him red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000," said Yadav.

However, the accused alleged that he was being framed by Raj Kumar.

"He was repeatedly asking for registration in the Druti Hospital, which I was denying. I suspect an entire gang was involved," said Pandey.

Further investigation is underway.