MP: Janpad Panchayat official booked on graft charge

An assistant engineer posted in Junnardeo Janpad Panchayat in the district was today caught by Lokayukta sleuths whlile allegedly accepting bribe from a contractor, police said.

Acting on a tip-off that assistant engineer Rajesh Kumar Gupta had demanded Rs 20,000 from a contractor in lieu of clearing the bill of construction work carried out by him, a trap was laid by the police, Lokayukta Inspector Prabhat Shukla said.

The accused was caught red-handed while taking Rs 20,000 as first instalment from the victim, he said.

A case has been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act, the police officer said, adding further investigation is on.