Rajasthan ACB arrests Kota civic employee in ₹10,000 PMAY bribe sting
Synopsis
Two contractual employees of the Kota Municipal Corporation allegedly extorted a PMAY beneficiary by threatening to block housing scheme instalments — only to be caught in an ACB sting. One is in custody; the other fled. The case highlights how low-level civic functionaries can exploit welfare delivery systems that reach the most vulnerable.
Key Takeaways
Akhilesh Meena , a contractual employee of Kota Municipal Corporation , was arrested on 5 October 2026 for accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 .
The duo allegedly demanded bribes to clear instalments under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) , threatening to block subsequent payments.
Co-accused Naresh Verma had allegedly demanded ₹5,000 and fled the trap site; ACB searches for him are ongoing.
The trap was conducted under the supervision of DIG Omprakash Meena and led by DSP Anish Ahmed .
A case will be registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act ; interrogation of Meena continues under senior ACB officers.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Kota unit, arrested Akhilesh Meena, a contractual employee of the Kota Municipal Corporation, red-handed on Monday, 5 October 2026, while he allegedly accepted a bribe of ₹10,000 outside the corporation premises. A second accused, Naresh Verma, another contractual employee of the same body, fled the scene upon sensing the trap and remains at large.
What Triggered the Complaint
A complainant had approached Vijay Swarnkar, Additional Superintendent of Police, ACB Kota, alleging that Akhilesh Meena and Naresh Verma were demanding bribes from the first instalment of ₹50,000 sanctioned to the complainant for house construction under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The duo allegedly threatened to withhold approval of subsequent PMAY instalments unless payment was made — effectively weaponising a welfare scheme against a beneficiary.
Verification and Trap Operation
Following the complaint, the ACB conducted a preliminary verification on 1 October 2026, which confirmed that Akhilesh Meena had allegedly demanded ₹10,000 and Naresh Verma had allegedly demanded ₹5,000. The subsequent trap operation on Monday was carried out under the supervision of Omprakash Meena, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kota Range, and the direction of Vijay Swarnkar, Additional Superintendent of Police, ACB Kota. The operation was led on the ground by Anish Ahmed, Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Arrest and Ongoing Proceedings
Akhilesh Meena was arrested at the moment of accepting the bribe outside the Kota Municipal Corporation office. Naresh Verma, however, escaped and the ACB is actively conducting searches to trace him. Interrogation of the arrested accused is currently underway under the supervision of Smita Srivastava, Additional Director General of Police, ACB, and S. Parimala, Inspector General of Police, ACB. The bureau confirmed that a formal case will be registered under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
ACB's Standard Procedure
Govind Gupta, Director General of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, noted that any individual against whom a case or preliminary enquiry has been registered may contact the ACB directly to present their explanation. According to the bureau, investigation decisions are taken only after a detailed examination of any such submission — a procedural safeguard the ACB says it follows as standard operating practice.
With Naresh Verma still absconding, the case remains open on two fronts. How quickly authorities can secure his arrest will determine the full scope of the bribery inquiry into the alleged exploitation of a Central housing welfare scheme.
Point of View
000 is a small sum — and more for where the alleged extortion occurred: inside a Central welfare scheme designed for the poor. PMAY's last-mile delivery has long depended on local municipal functionaries, creating choke points that can be exploited. If contractual workers without formal job security can extract rent from housing beneficiaries without detection for weeks, it raises questions about the internal monitoring mechanisms within Rajasthan's municipal bodies. The absconding of Naresh Verma also underscores a recurring gap in trap operations — joint arrests require tighter coordination to prevent flight.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rajasthan ACB bribery case about?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau's Kota unit arrested Akhilesh Meena, a contractual employee of the Kota Municipal Corporation, on 5 October 2026 for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000. He and a co-accused, Naresh Verma, were allegedly extorting a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana housing scheme by threatening to block future instalments.
Who is Naresh Verma and why has he not been arrested?
Naresh Verma is another contractual employee of the Kota Municipal Corporation who allegedly demanded ₹5,000 as part of the same bribe. He fled the spot on sensing the ACB trap operation and remains at large; the bureau has confirmed that searches to locate and arrest him are underway.
How does this case relate to the PMAY housing scheme?
The complainant was a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which sanctions funds in instalments for house construction. According to the complaint, Meena and Verma threatened to withhold approval of subsequent PMAY instalments unless bribes were paid from the first sanctioned amount of ₹50,000.
Under which law will the accused be charged?
The ACB has confirmed it will register a case under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused. Interrogation of arrested accused Akhilesh Meena is ongoing under the supervision of senior ACB officers.
Who supervised the ACB trap operation in Kota?
The operation was supervised by DIG Omprakash Meena, Kota Range, and directed by Additional SP Vijay Swarnkar, ACB Kota. It was led on the ground by DSP Anish Ahmed. Senior oversight is being provided by ADGP Smita Srivastava and IGP S. Parimala of the ACB.
