CHANDIGARH: Shilpi Patar, the sub-divisional magistrate (east) (SDM), who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after being caught red-handed while taking a bribe, was produced before a local court in the city and sent to police remand on Sunday. Two other people, including her husband were also arrested in connection to the case.
Earlier, the SDM had sealed a property of a businessman, Tarsem Kumar, in Sector 26 for violations and had demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh through middleman G S Brar to de-seal his showroom.
The deal was struck at Rs 2 lakh and when the first installment of Rs 50,000 was being paid to her at her residence in Sector 27 late on Saturday night, the CBI team conducted the raid and caught her.
Her husband Dhiraj and middleman Brar were also arrested by the apex agency. When the officers of CBI raided the house, Dhiraj immediately hid the money. However, upon searching, CBI recovered the money from him. The apex agency also recovered Rs 25,000 from Brar.
Tarsem Kumar, the businessman, had approached CBI last week when Patar sealed his show-room and the middleman demanded money.
Patar had come on deputation in June this year to Chandigarh administration from Haryana government. Besides holding the post of SDM, she was also the joint commissioner of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, land acquisition officer and the chief fire officer.