Dismissed magistrate arrested for taking bribe

A person, who was dismissed from judicial services on the charges of misconduct, was arrested here by the Lokayukta Police while allegedly taking a bribe from a teacher of the tribal development department for clearing his name in an alleged fake caste certificate case.
Pritam Singh Maan (51), who was dismissed from the post of magistrate in 2009, had allegedly accepted the bribe yesterday from teacher Hari Singh Chouhan by posing himself as an officer of the SC/ST Welfare Department, Lokayukta SP, Arun Mishra said today.
Maan had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 to clear Chouhan's name in an alleged fake caste certificate case.

According to Lokayukta police, Maan had written a letter to Chouhan in the guise of SC/ST Welfare Officer stating that he got the job of assistant teacher in the tribal department by using a fake caste certificate and that the Crime Branch has initiated an investigation into it.
For disposing of the matter Maan demanded Rs 3 lakh as bribe and in order to pressurise Chouhan, he also asked a police sub-inspector to make a phone call to Chouhan.
However, on being suspicious, Chouhan informed the Lokayukta police about it, following which a trap was laid and Maan was caught in city's Navlakha area while accepting the bribe.

Lokayukta Police have registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against him in this regard and is further probing the matter.