In a major anti-graft crackdown in the capital city of Jaipur, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has apprehended an enforcement officer of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) while accepting an illicit cash payoff. The arrested official has been identified as Sonu Maurya, who was caught red-handed attempting to extort money from a private enterprise under the pretext of shielding it from regulatory penalties. The abrupt raid has sent ripples of panic across the EPFO establishment and wider administrative circles.
Threat of Freezing Bank Accounts and Legal Action
According to details shared by the investigating agency, the complainant's private firm had failed to deposit its employees' provident fund (PF) contributions on time. Exploiting this procedural delay, enforcement officer Sonu Maurya allegedly intimidated the firm's management with severe punitive outcomes. He assured them that he would refrain from lodging a formal First Information Report (FIR) and would not freeze the company's operational bank accounts if his demands were met. To grant this relief, the official explicitly demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh.
Verification of the Complaint and Laying the Trap
Distressed by the extortionate demand and ongoing threats, the aggrieved party approached the Anti Corruption Bureau and submitted a formal complaint regarding the illegal gratification. ACB officials initiated a confidential inquiry to verify the authenticity of the claims. The allegations were found to be completely true during the preliminary verification process, prompting the agency to assemble a specialized operational team to trap the corrupt official.
Arrested While Accepting First Instalment of Cash
As per the prearranged operational strategy, the co-complainant met the officer to hand over the first instalment of the bribe, amounting to Rs 1 lakh, in the presence of the firm's chartered accountant. The moment Sonu Maurya received the cash, the waiting ACB team swooped in and caught him red-handed. The entire bribe sum of Rs 1 lakh was recovered directly from the scene. The entire operation was carried out successfully under the leadership of ACB DIG Omprakash Meena.
Searches at Residential Premises and Probe into Associates
Following the apprehension, the ACB took Sonu Maurya into formal custody for detailed interrogation. Sleuths are currently investigating whether other departmental staff, senior officials within the EPFO, or outside middlemen played any role in facilitating the corrupt arrangement. In addition, search operations have been launched at the accused officer's residential premises and other suspected properties to uncover any evidence pointing toward disproportionate assets or broader financial irregularities. The decisive action has triggered widespread alarm among officials indulging in corrupt practices.
