PMC official demands bribe in property mutation case, arrested

Prayagraj: In a significant anti-corruption action, a team of the state anti-corruption bureau arrested a revenue official of the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 in connection with a property mutation case on Wednesday.The accused, Anoop Chandra Mishra, posted as Tax Collector in Zone 6 (Khuldabad) of the PMC, was apprehended by the vigilance trap team on Wednesday afternoon near Ganga Bhojanalaya in Transport Nagar, under Dhoomanganj police station limits.The action followed a complaint lodged on Tuesday by Rajkumar Yadav, son of Magan Singh Yadav, native of Dhamsera village in Kaushambi district and currently residing in Mirapatti near Rail Gaon Colony, Prayagraj. The complainant alleged that a registered property, purchased in the name of his mother, Phoolkali Devi, on Oct 8, 2024, was pending mutation in the Municipal Corporation.Yadav said that when he approached the official concerned regarding the status of the file, Mishra allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 to submit a favourable report for processing the mutation. The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the Vigilance Establishment seeking legal action. After discreet verification of the complaint, the case was found suitable for a trap operation.Acting on the complaint, the vigilance team laid a trap and caught the accused accepting the bribe amount at the pre-decided location. Legal proceedings were initiated against the accused under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.The Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Establishment, Prayagraj Sector, appealed to the public to report any demand for bribe by govt officials or employees. Citizens can contact the Vigilance helpline numbers 9454404859 or 9454401866 to lodge complaints for prompt action.