In a major crackdown on administrative corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Faridabad, Haryana, arrested Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) Surender Punia alongside his driver Ram Babu. The official allegedly demanded a bribe of 4 lakh rupees after threatening a transport representative with a 10 lakh rupee penalty on a scrap-laden vehicle arriving from Lucknow. Bureau officers executed a planned trap, catching the driver red-handed inside the department office while collecting an initial 1 lakh rupee installment.
Detention of Scrap Truck Triggers Extortion Demand
The incident began on August 10 when ETO Surender Punia intercepted a transport truck carrying scrap metal from Lucknow into Faridabad. Ashok, an employee of a Delhi-based logistics firm responsible for fleet maintenance and route clearances, reported the matter to authorities. According to his complaint, he met the officer that same night. During this encounter, the official claimed the vehicle faced a potential penalty of around 10 lakh rupees but offered to settle the matter informally for 4 lakh rupees.
Negotiation at Sector-11 PG and Payment Terms
Follow-up negotiations regarding payment terms took place on August 14 at a paying guest facility located in Sector-11. The complainant stated that ETO Surender Punia instructed him to pay 2 lakh rupees after August 15, with the remaining 2 lakh rupees due within the following two to four days. In exchange for the payment, the officer gave explicit assurances that no future vehicles belonging to the transport company would be stopped or delayed. The officer's driver, Ram Babu, remained present throughout this discussion.
ACB Trap Execution at Official Premises
Rather than submitting to the extortion attempt, Ashok secretly recorded the conversation regarding the bribe demand and provided the audio file to the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Faridabad. Upon verifying the evidence, the ACB arranged a sting operation. The complainant arrived at the officer's office carrying 1 lakh rupees in marked currency. Driver Ram Babu accepted the cash on behalf of the ETO, at which point waiting ACB investigators intervened, caught Ram Babu red-handed, and retrieved the money.
Legal Proceedings Under Prevention of Corruption Act
Following the successful trap, the Anti-Corruption Bureau placed both ETO Surender Punia and driver Ram Babu under arrest. Case FIR No. 19 was formally registered on August 25 at the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station in Faridabad under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Inspector Bijender, who is overseeing the investigation, confirmed that authorities are actively probing the entire bribe arrangement and determining whether additional individuals were involved in the operation.
