An Indore Municipal Corporation sub-engineer was allegedly caught accepting a Rs 5,000 bribe to verify a water tanker logbook linked to a pending Rs 1.12 lakh payment, according to the Lokayukta police. Harsh Gehlot, posted at IMC Zone 13, was arrested after a trap was laid following a complaint from a tanker operator.
Lokayukta SP Rajesh Sahay said the sub-engineer had allegedly demanded Rs 6,000 from Sohel Patel, a resident of Nayta Mundla, to facilitate verification of the logbook and clearance of the pending bill. Patel had attached his water tanker to the municipal corporation and was awaiting payment of Rs 1,12,500 for services provided over three months.
The verification of the tanker’s logbook was required before the payment could be processed. Patel approached the Lokayukta’s Indore office after the alleged demand. Police said they verified the complaint before arranging the trap.
According to the Lokayukta, Gehlot was allegedly caught accepting Rs 5,000 from Patel during the operation. The case concerns a municipal payment linked to water-tanker services, placing the alleged bribe demand within the administrative process used to verify service records and release payments.
Police registered a case against Gehlot under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The provisions were invoked after the alleged acceptance of the bribe during the trap operation.
The operation was conducted by a Lokayukta team comprising Inspector Ashutosh Mithas, Head Constables Ranjit Dwivedi, Vijay Sailar and Vivek Mishra, and Constables Manish Mathur and Pawan Patoria. Further investigation was underway, and the allegations will be examined through the legal process.
