Patna, Feb 19 (NationPress) The Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) apprehended a junior engineer stationed in Sahibganj, within the Muzaffarpur district, on Thursday while he was allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 9,000, according to officials.

The suspect, Aman Kumar, was caught during a trap operation initiated by the SVU after a complaint was lodged about his demand for illegal remuneration.

This incident has raised alarms among government departments in the region and underscores the ongoing initiatives by vigilance authorities to combat corruption in public service.

As per official sources, the complainant, Rajkumar Tiwari, had submitted a formal complaint to the SVU office in Patna, claiming that the junior engineer sought a bribe of Rs 25,000 in return for granting approval and hastening the project concerning the installation of paving blocks in Sahibganj.

In response to the complaint, the Vigilance Department executed a covert verification process, wherein the allegations were found to be prima facie valid, officials stated. Following the verification, a specialized raid team was formed under the supervision of SVU Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Singh to carry out the trap operation.

During the meticulously planned operation, the complainant provided Rs 9,000 as the first installment of the requested bribe to the accused junior engineer. Immediately afterward, the SVU team apprehended Aman Kumar in the act of accepting the bribe.

The SVU has filed Case No. 07/26 at the Special Vigilance Unit Police Station in Patna regarding this incident. The accused has been charged under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, and has been taken to Patna for further questioning and legal processes.

Officials from the SVU indicated that investigations are ongoing, with additional evidence being gathered, and potential involvement of other parties being explored. The SVU reaffirmed its commitment to continue such anti-corruption operations to maintain transparency, accountability, and integrity in public services.

Previously, on February 17, the Special Vigilance Unit arrested the in-charge District Agriculture Officer of Muzaffarpur along with his driver for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.

The vigilance team detained Himanshu Kumar, the in-charge District Agriculture Officer, and his driver, Rambabu Rai, during a similar trap operation conducted in Muzaffarpur district.

Officials reported that the Agriculture Officer was allegedly receiving bribes of Rs 50,000 from fertilizer shopkeepers via his driver, who acted as an intermediary for collecting illicit payments.