Bihar VIB arrests health centre clerk for ₹37,000 bribe in Jamui
Synopsis
A health centre clerk in Bihar's Jamui was caught red-handed accepting ₹37,000 from an ANM who had not received her salary for 11 months — and was forced to mortgage her land to pay the bribe. The case has opened wider questions about alleged systemic corruption at the Sono PHC, with the in-charge reportedly named by the complainant.
Key Takeaways
Rupesh Kumar , a clerk at Sono Primary Health Centre, Jamui , was arrested on 8 May 2025 by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) .
He was caught allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹37,000 from ANM Rajnandini , who had been denied salary arrears for nearly 11 months .
Rajnandini alleged she was forced to mortgage her land to arrange the bribe amount.
She alleged the corrupt practices were occurring with the knowledge of PHC in-charge Shashi Bhushan .
Several other female employees reportedly paid bribes of around ₹6,000 each but did not file complaints due to fear.
Further investigation is underway; Deputy SP Pawan Kumar confirmed the arrest.
The Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Friday, 8 May 2025, arrested a clerk posted at the Sono Primary Health Centre in Jamui, Bihar, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹37,000 in cash. The accused, Rupesh Kumar, had allegedly demanded the money from an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in exchange for clearing her pending salary arrears of nearly 11 months.
How the Trap Was Laid
The complainant, ANM Rajnandini, formally lodged a complaint with the Vigilance Department on 23 March 2025, alleging that Rupesh Kumar had been demanding illegal payments since February 2025. According to her complaint, the clerk demanded a sum equivalent to one month's salary as a bribe to process and release her long-pending arrears. After a preliminary verification confirmed the allegations to be genuine, officials registered an FIR and mounted a trap operation. The VIB team subsequently apprehended Kumar red-handed while he was allegedly accepting ₹37,000 in cash from Rajnandini.
Financial Distress Forced ANM to Mortgage Land
Rajnandini stated that the prolonged delay in salary payments had placed her under severe financial distress. She alleged that she was compelled to mortgage her land in order to arrange the bribe amount demanded by the accused. Her account underscores the acute vulnerability of frontline healthcare workers — particularly ANMs — to predatory corruption within the public health system.
Wider Pattern of Alleged Corruption at the PHC
Rajnandini further alleged that such corrupt practices were being carried out openly at the health centre, and that they were occurring with the knowledge of the PHC in-charge, Shashi Bhushan. She also claimed that several other female employees had previously been forced to pay bribes of around ₹6,000 each, but had refrained from filing complaints owing to fear and pressure from within the facility. These allegations, if verified, point to a systemic problem rather than an isolated incident.
VIB Confirms Arrest, Probe Ongoing
Pawan Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police with the Vigilance Investigation Bureau, confirmed the arrest.
Point of View
And that multiple other employees had paid similar bribes in silence. Bihar's VIB deserves credit for acting on the complaint, but the larger question — why salary arrears for ANMs were allowed to accumulate for 11 months in the first place — points to a systemic failure that a single arrest cannot fix.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Bihar health centre bribe case?
Rupesh Kumar, a clerk posted at the Sono Primary Health Centre in Jamui, Bihar, was arrested by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on 8 May 2025. He was allegedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹37,000 from an ANM.
Why did the ANM pay the bribe?
ANM Rajnandini had not received her salary arrears for nearly 11 months and alleged that the clerk demanded a sum equal to one month's salary to process her pending payment. She stated she was compelled to mortgage her land to arrange the bribe amount.
What is the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB)?
The Vigilance Investigation Bureau is Bihar's dedicated anti-corruption agency responsible for investigating and acting on bribery and corruption complaints against government employees. It operates trap operations to catch accused officials red-handed.
Were other employees also affected?
According to Rajnandini's complaint, several other female employees at the health centre had previously paid bribes of around ₹6,000 each but refrained from filing complaints due to fear and pressure.
What happens next in the case?
An FIR has been registered and further investigation is currently underway. Authorities have not yet publicly disclosed whether any action will be taken against the PHC in-charge, Shashi Bhushan, who was named in the complainant's allegations.
