'Blackmalier' RTI activist handed over to police for taking bribe

A RTI activist from Punjab was on Monday handed over to the Chandigarh Police by the Punjab Information Commission following allegations that he took a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a respondent.

The respondent, a government school principal, was also handed over to the police.

Punjab Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) S.S. Channy ordered that the Right to Information (RTI) activist Gurdev Singh of Bathinda be handed over to the police after it came to notice that he took a bribe of Rs 10,000 from respondent Pritam Singh, Lecturer, in-charge Principal of Government Girls' Senior Secondary School, Mandi Kalan, Bathinda, to take back a case filed in the commission.

Channy said that during court proceedings of the State Information Commissioner (SIC) Preety Chawla, the RTI activist (Gurdev) told the court that he has got the information and the case may be closed.

"During the hearing, when he was asked, the principal (Pritam Singh) replied in-writing that he has paid the bribe to Gurdev Singh in the Commission premises. The Principal also stated that he has already taken photocopy of the currency notes, which he paid to appellant. When questioned by the court, Gurdev Singh confessed in writing that he has taken the money from the Principal," a spokesperson for the Commission said on Monday.

Chawla brought the whole episode to the notice of the CIC in writing.

Taking strong cognizance, Channy communicated with the Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) following which the RTI activist and the principal were handed over to Station House Officer Maninder Singh of Police Station, Sector-17, Chandigarh, for further action.

--IANS

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