Forest Officer Arrested for Bribery in Bilaspur

A vigilance team arrested forest officer Sameer Muhammad for accepting a Rs 50,000 bribe via Google Pay from a contractor in Bilaspur. The demand was initially Rs 3 lakh for tree marking. The contractor reported the crime leading to the officer's arrest as evidence was gathered.

In Bilaspur district, a forest department officer has been apprehended for allegedly accepting a bribe, officials reported on Tuesday. The officer, identified as Sameer Muhammad, requested a bribe for tree marking services, demanding Rs 3 lakh initially.

After negotiations, the bribe amount settled at Rs 1 lakh, with an initial Rs 50,000 paid through Google Pay to Sameer Muhammad's account. The contractor notified the vigilance department upon this transaction.

The vigilance team, gathering digital transaction evidence, laid a trap resulting in the officer's arrest. Efforts to collect further evidence are ongoing, said officials.