Rajasthan ACB books VDO, Sarpanch for ₹43,500 bribe in Rajsamand
Synopsis
A woman's bid to get a routine land deed issued in a Rajsamand village exposed an alleged ₹43,500 bribe demand by the very officials meant to process it. The ACB confirmed the demand through verification — but a planned trap operation was foiled after the accused reportedly got wind of it, adding a troubling dimension to an already stark case of local-level graft.
Key Takeaways
The Rajasthan ACB registered Case No.
218/2026 on 3 August 2026 against two officials of Gram Panchayat Tasol , Rajsamand.
Accused: Karan Singh Rao (VDO) and Bhanwar Lal Sargara (Sarpanch-cum-Administrator), charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act .
The alleged bribe of ₹43,500 was demanded from a woman for issuing a patta for her enclosure ( bada ).
A planned trap operation was foiled after the accused allegedly became aware of the ACB's action.
Investigation is supervised by Additional DGP Smita Srivastava ; citizens can report corruption on helpline 1064 or WhatsApp 9413502834 .
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a corruption case against two government functionaries — a Village Development Officer (VDO) and a Sarpanch-cum-Administrator of Gram Panchayat Tasol in Rajsamand district — for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹43,500 from a woman in exchange for issuing a patta (land allotment deed) for her enclosure. The case, registered as Case No. 218/2026 on 3 August 2026, is currently under investigation.
The Accused and the Allegation
The two individuals booked are Karan Singh Rao, Village Development Officer, and Bhanwar Lal Sargara, Sarpanch (Administrator), both posted at Gram Panchayat Tasol under Panchayat Samiti Rajsamand. Both have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the ACB, the accused had been repeatedly approaching the complainant — a woman from village Tasol — demanding the bribe as a condition for processing her legitimate patta for a bada (enclosure).
How the ACB Moved In
Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govind Gupta, confirmed that the ACB Outpost in Rajsamand received the complaint and initiated a confidential verification process. The verification was conducted under the supervision of Rameshwar Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Police (ACB-I), with the operation led by Himmat Charan, Additional Superintendent of Police and Officer-in-Charge of the ACB Outpost, Rajsamand. The verification confirmed the alleged demand of ₹43,500.
Trap Operation Foiled
Following confirmation of the bribe demand, the ACB planned a trap operation to catch the accused red-handed. However, the operation could not be executed after the accused allegedly became aware of the bureau's planned action — a development that raises questions about potential information leaks. The ACB subsequently proceeded to register the formal case based on verified findings. Further investigation and legal proceedings are being conducted under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police Smita Srivastava.
ACB's Appeal to the Public
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has urged citizens to report corruption through its 24×7 toll-free helpline 1064 or WhatsApp helpline 9413502834, assuring that legitimate work will be facilitated without requiring bribes. This case is part of a broader pattern of ACB action against local-level corruption in Rajasthan, where patta issuance and land record processes have historically been flagged as vulnerability points for graft.
Point of View
The question of how that information travelled becomes as important as the original bribe allegation. Patta issuance at the panchayat level has long been identified as a corruption chokepoint in Rajasthan — a process where a woman seeking a routine land deed is entirely at the mercy of local officials. Registering a case is a necessary first step, but without a clean trap and a credible leak inquiry, the accountability chain remains incomplete.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has been booked by the Rajasthan ACB in the Rajsamand bribe case?
The ACB has booked Karan Singh Rao , Village Development Officer, and Bhanwar Lal Sargara , Sarpanch-cum-Administrator of Gram Panchayat Tasol in Rajsamand district. Both have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly demanding ₹43,500 from a woman to issue her a patta.
What is a patta and why was a bribe allegedly demanded for it?
A patta is an official land allotment deed issued by a gram panchayat, conferring legal recognition of a person's right to a plot or enclosure. In this case, the accused allegedly made repeated bribe demands as a precondition for issuing the document — a routine administrative function — to a woman in village Tasol.
Why did the ACB trap operation fail?
According to ACB officials, the trap operation could not be carried out because the accused allegedly became aware of the bureau's planned action in advance. The ACB subsequently registered the case based on findings from its confidential verification process.
What is the current status of the investigation?
The case (No. 218/2026) was registered on 3 August 2026 and is under active investigation. Legal proceedings are being supervised by Additional Director General of Police Smita Srivastava.
How can citizens in Rajasthan report corruption to the ACB?
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau operates a 24×7 toll-free helpline at 1064 and a WhatsApp helpline at 9413502834. Citizens can report bribe demands through either channel and the bureau has assured assistance in getting legitimate work done without payment.
