The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested four persons, including an official of the Union Home Ministry, on charges of extorting money from Pakistani Hindu migrants for their visa extension, visa transfer and grant of citizenship. Three of the accused have identified themselves as Pakistani migrants who have got Indian citizenship.
P.K. Mishra, a senior secretariat assistant in the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, was arrested when three middlemen were handing over bribe money to him at a hotel in Jodhpur on Friday. He used to come to Jodhpur regularly for attending the hearing on a writ petition on the Pakistani Hindu migrants in the Rajasthan High Court.
ACB-Jodhpur Superintendent of Police Ajaypal Lamba said Mishra had adopted a practice of not approving the applications for long-term visa sent by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office through the state government’s Home Department. He would approve the applications only after receiving bribe through his agents.
Mishra, who collected the briber during his visits to Jodhpur, was allegedly involved in extorting money in this manner for the last three years.
The ACB's preliminary investigation revealed that the gang was operating not only in Jodhpur, but also in Jaipur. The FIR registered by ACB has also included the name of Kundan Lal, an employee in the state government’s Home Department.
