Is a Lawyer in Punjab Charged for Demanding a Rs 30 Crore Bribe to 'Fix' a Divorce Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lawyer charged with corruption
- Demanded a bribe of Rs 30 lakh
- CBI intervention prevented judicial manipulation
- Importance of citizen vigilance
- Legal integrity at stake
New Delhi, Aug 16 (NationPress) A Chandigarh-based lawyer was caught in an attempt to undermine the judicial system by soliciting a bribe of Rs 30 lakh from a client to manipulate a divorce case outcome in Punjab. The CBI intervened and initiated a corruption investigation against him, as confirmed by police on Saturday.
As per the FIR, advocate Jatin Salwan, residing in Sector 15, Chandigarh, demanded this substantial amount to secure a favorable ruling for the divorce case involving the cousin sister of the complainant, leveraging his connections with a judicial officer in Bhatinda.
The complainant, hailing from Firozpur City, reported his suspicions to the CBI after Salwan refused to negotiate the bribe amount, as stated by a police representative.
The CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch in Chandigarh filed the FIR on Thursday, highlighting that during their discussions, Salwan outrightly rejected the complainant's attempts to reduce the bribe.
According to the FIR, Salwan remarked, "Rishwat de paise kade ghat nahi honde" (the bribe amount is never negotiable), and informed the complainant that a representative of the judicial officer would come to collect the initial payment.
Following a two-day preliminary investigation from August 13 to 14, which was sanctioned by Navdeep Singh Brar, IPS, Head of the CBI's ACB in Chandigarh, a formal investigation was initiated.
Salwan is now facing charges related to criminal conspiracy and exploiting his influence over a public servant for corrupt purposes, as per the investigation agency.
During the initial inquiry, the CBI discovered that Salwan insisted the complainant pay the full Rs 30 lakh, but later, upon negotiation, he requested a minimum of Rs 5 lakh as a starting payment.
A report submitted before the FIR registration indicated that the verification of the complaint showed clear evidence of an offense under section 61(2), BNS 2023 and section 7-A of the PC Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) against Jatin Salwan and other unidentified public or private individuals. A regular case has been opened for further investigation.