Corruption in Delhi’s water sector faces renewed scrutiny after CBI sleuths apprehended a Delhi Jal Board employee and his private accomplice in a brazen bribery scheme. Vinod Kumar, a peon doubling as assistant meter reader at Seelampur, and Nitin Kumar were nabbed mid-transaction, accepting Rs 6,500 as the final installment of a Rs 12,000 payoff.
It all began when a homeowner lodged a formal complaint on February 8, accusing Vinod of extorting money to clear overdue water bills. The peon had already taken Rs 5,500 upfront on February 3, promising to manipulate records in exchange. CBI wasted no time, setting up a sting operation the very next day that ensnared the duo red-handed.
Interrogations continue as investigators probe deeper into potential networks of influence peddling within the Jal Board. The agency emphasized this as part of its zero-tolerance policy against bribe-taking public servants, vowing to dismantle such rackets.
Delhi residents are encouraged to blow the whistle on similar misconduct. Reach out to CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch at their Lodhi Road headquarters or call the dedicated hotlines for prompt action.
Just days earlier, a Delhi Police assistant sub-inspector met a similar fate, caught demanding bribes to quash a complaint. These successive strikes highlight escalating enforcement against graft plaguing the capital’s administration.