MHA official arrested for 'bribe-for- visa' suspended

A Home Ministry official, who was arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe during granting of long-term visa to Pakistani immigrants, has been placed under suspension, officials said today.

The ministry is also conducting an inquiry to find out whether there were lacunas in clearing the pending cases of Pakistani immigrants applying for Indian citizenship or extending long-term visa (LTV), and how to improve the whole process.

The official,P K Mishra, a senior secretariat assistant in the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry, who was arrested along with three others by the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau last week, has been placed under suspension, an official said.

As per the government rules, any official arrested for any offence and in police custody for more than 48 hours deemed suspended from service.

Mishra was allegedly exploiting the process of delay in taking decisions on grantingIndian citizenship or extending long-term visa to Pakistani immigrants while demanding and accepting bribes, another official said.

He was not the deciding authority but was part of processing the applications.

The home ministry has also received a report from the Rajasthan Police on the arrests and the alleged racket of "bribe-for-visa", the official said.

Rajasthan police officials said the alleged racket was operating in the region for several years in connivance with government officials, who used an extensive network of agents, many of whom were Pakistani Hindu immigrants.

Three other people arrested were Ashok, Govind and Bhagwan Ram, all Pakistani immigrants.