Woman village pradhan held for accepting bribe

RUDRAPUR: The vigilance department arrested Pooja Verma, the woman village pradhan of Bhanga village in Kichha, Udhma Singh Nagar district, while she was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000. The arrest followed a complaint made through a toll-free number and was executed under the direct orders of the state's vigilance director.

SP (vigilance), Sector Haldwani, Anil Singh Manral said, "The complainant alleged that Verma had demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 to expedite government funding for a housing project under the Pradhan Mantri Atal Awas Yojana. Following a comprehensive investigation, the complaint was substantiated, leading to the formation of a trap team."