Lekhpal caught red-handed taking ₹4K bribe; suspended

Kanpur: Lekhpal, Anjali Yadav, was suspended by district magistrate Vishak G Iyer after a team of the anti-corruption bureau caught her red-handed along with a shopkeeper, accepting Rs 4,000 bribe in lieu of measurement of a farmer’s land. Yadav is posted as lekhpal in Ghatampur tehsil, in charge of Daulatpur and Ghatampur. A Makarandpur, Daulatpur resident, security guard Rakesh Sahu, was in dispute with his brothers over their ancestral agricultural land and Sahu had applied for measurement of the agricultural land in the tehsil. Yadav, allegedly, asked for Rs 7,000 for the procedure. Citing poverty, Rakesh negotiated and convinced the lekhpal to accept Rs 4,000.He had already made a complaint regarding this to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) and the team fixed Tuesday to catch the lekhpal red-handed.Sahu reached the tehsil with the money and when he contacted the lekhpal on her phone, she asked him to give the money to a photo-copy shop owner Shivraj Singh, so he handed the money to the latter.At 5pm, the lekhpal arrived at the shop to collect the bribe money and as soon as the shop owner handed her the cash, the anti corruption team apprehended her. She tried to flee on a two-wheeler, but the team members nabbed her and took her under arrest.“Anti-corruption team has lodged FIR at Hanumant Vihar police station against lekhpal Anjali Yadav and the photo-copy shop owner Shivraj Singh, resident of Ghatampur,” informed Hanumant Vihar SHO Uday Pratap Singh. DM Vishak G Iyer suspended the woman lekhpal and ordered a departmental inquiry.

Sarpanch caught accepting bribe

A sarpanch in Indore was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 80,000 for allowing a man to run his fishery business. The incident adds to a series of recent bribery cases across different sectors, including a BBMP officer in Bengaluru and a sarpanch in Udaipur. Measures are being taken to address the issue of corruption, such as the launch of an anti-corruption portal in Delhi. In other news, the Indore Municipal Corporation used advanced machinery to immerse over 100 truckloads of Ganesh idols in a pond.

Europe's anti-corruption group says Cyprus must hold politicians more accountable amid distrust

The Council of Europe's anti-corruption group has urged Cyprus to hold top officials accountable for corruption in order to address public perception of widespread corruption. The group highlighted institutional flaws and lack of coordination, resources, and authority in anti-corruption bodies. It called for a stronger system of accountability, transparency in politicians' assets, and better access to information. While Cyprus has passed new laws to combat corruption, the group noted the absence of a system to identify major corruption risks and the need for additional guidance on lobbying legislation. Cypriots' distrust in the government and police is higher than the EU average.

Dist, tehsil officials to be held responsible for land row cases

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to prioritize the resolution of land disputes and take action against land mafias and illegal activities. He emphasized the need to protect the land of the weak, poor, entrepreneurs, and businessmen. Adityanath also instructed the installation of CCTV cameras in major locations and markets. The CM directed senior officers to closely monitor cases related to land measurement and transfer, and ensure they are resolved within 48 hours. He warned that officials would be held accountable for any incidents related to land disputes in their jurisdiction. Adityanath also emphasized the need to be vigilant in matters of religious conversion, cow smuggling, and love jihad, and to maintain regular communication with public representatives. The CM also addressed the issue of vector-borne diseases and directed officials to ensure that health centers are well-equipped.