Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A forest ranger was caught while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a sarpanch in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, just 10 months ahead of his retirement, an official of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
After trapping the ranger following a complaint by the sarpanch, the EOW started a probe into the wealth amassed by him and recovered Rs 2.24 lakh in cash from his official residence, he said.
The ranger, identified as Bihari Singh, was caught taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the sarpanch of Bhil Amla village near the Double Chowki area of Dewas district, EOW SP Dilip Soni said.
The ranger had demanded the bribe for levelling the sarpanch's leased land in a forest area and for issuing a no objection certificate for digging a well on that land under a government scheme, he said.
During investigation, cops found Rs 2.24 lakh from the ranger's official residence in Dewas and were also searching his home in Indore, he said.
Soni said Singh joined the forest department as a guard and was promoted as ranger in 2011. He is due to retire in 10 months.
A case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the ranger.
