Was a Bihar Revenue Employee Caught Accepting a Rs 35,000 Bribe in Nawada?
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Key Takeaways
Patna, Feb 3 (NationPress) In a significant blow to the pervasive corruption surrounding land-related activities in Bihar, the State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) apprehended a revenue employee during a sting operation while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000 in Nawada district.
The individual in question, Gulshan Kumar, who works in the Roh Circle, was detained at the Sitapur Bansi Chak intersection during a meticulously executed trap.
This shocking arrest has stirred alarm within the revenue department, revealing how officials allegedly manipulate online systems by intentionally stalling land demarcation and record correction processes to demand bribes through offline means.
A specialized vigilance team from Patna, under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar Srivastava, initiated the trap following a validated complaint.
The team discreetly secured the area around Sitapur Bansi Chak intersection.
When the complainant, Mantu Kumar, a Nawada resident, delivered the pre-arranged bribe of Rs 35,000 to the revenue employee, the vigilance team promptly intervened and captured Gulshan Kumar in the act.
As per official reports, Mantu Kumar had submitted an online application for land demarcation and the rectification of land records, yet his application was intentionally rejected on two occasions.
Upon a personal visit to the revenue employee, he was reportedly solicited for a payment of Rs 35,000 to facilitate the clearance of his work, with advice to bypass the online process in favor of offline dealings.
Taking the complaint earnestly, Director General of Vigilance Jitendra Singh Gangwar mandated a discreet verification.
The verification was carried out by Officer Manoj Kumar, who substantiated that the accused was extorting money from farmers and landowners by sabotaging online applications.
After validating the allegations, the vigilance team executed the trap operation on Tuesday.
The complainant noted that while the government advocates for online applications to foster transparency, corrupt officials are systematically rejecting these applications.
This compels applicants, particularly disadvantaged farmers and landowners, to seek direct engagement with officials, where bribes are demanded to resolve matters offline.
Vigilance officials indicated that this corrupt scheme had been entrenched in the Roh Circle for an extended period, but Tuesday’s operation successfully unveiled and disrupted the operation.
Post-arrest, Gulshan Kumar is being transported to Patna for detailed interrogation.
Vigilance officials are currently investigating the possibility of other employees being implicated in similar corrupt practices.
In the wake of this incident, a palpable sense of trepidation has enveloped revenue employees across Nawada district, including the Roh Circle office.
The Vigilance Bureau reaffirmed its unwavering zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and assured that stringent actions would be taken against anyone found soliciting bribes at any level.