An Indian migrant in New Zealand has been accused of obtaining $56,000 in bribes in exchange for selling driver licences while working at the licencing authority.
25-year-old Lovepreet Brar worked at the Automobile Association in Auckland as a customer service consultant between 2014 and 2016 when he allegedly accepted over 150 bribes ranging from $400 to $2,500.
On Tuesday, he appeared before a court and admitted a representative charge of obtaining by deception, reported.
It’s alleged that Mr Brar was a part of a group involved in taking bribes that included three driver testing officers.
The group also allegedly offered truck licences.
According to the court documents, the group favoured driving licence applicants who had paid bribes. If those applicants couldn’t be matched with testing officers who were part of the group, Radio New Zealand reported that they "asked uncorrupted officers to go easy on them".
Mr Brar is accused of retaining over $56,000 of bribes that he allegedly received in his bank account. Bribes received in cash were passed on to testing officers.
In 2016, police officers searched Mr Brar’s house and informed the Automotive Association about the alleged bribery scheme. He quit the job after the investigation began.
He will be sentenced in September.
