Bribery Crackdown: Jharkhand Police Inspector and Panchayat Secretary Arrested
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Ranchi, March 12 (NationPress) In a significant move against corruption in Jharkhand, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) executed trap operations across two districts on Thursday, leading to the arrest of a police sub-inspector in Koderma and a female Panchayat secretary in Gumla for their alleged involvement in bribery.
In Koderma, ACB officials from Hazaribagh apprehended sub-inspector Pawan Kumar Ram, who is stationed at the Chandwara police station, after he was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000.
Reports indicate that the officer had solicited Rs 1 lakh from an individual regarding a case tied to illegal liquor, assuring the complainant that he would facilitate a favorable resolution. The complainant reached out to Prem Nayak, a leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM), who subsequently filed a complaint with the ACB office in Hazaribagh.
After validating the complaint, the ACB set a trap. On Thursday, as the officer accepted the initial payment of Rs 15,000 at his official residence, he was promptly taken into custody. He was then transported to Hazaribagh for further questioning.
In a separate incident, the ACB team in Ranchi arrested Kiran Kusum Khalkho, the Panchayat Secretary of Chatti Serka Panchayat in the Vishunpur block of Gumla district, while she was allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 8,000.
According to the complainant, Parameshwar Singh, the repair work for a well approved by the Gram Sabha on his property was completed, but the Panchayat secretary was demanding Rs 8,000 to finalize the remaining payment and authorize the bill.
Following the confirmation of the complaint, the ACB arranged a trap and arrested Khalkho on Thursday as she accepted the bribe money.
Officials from the ACB have stated that a case has been filed against both individuals under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and subsequent legal actions are in progress.
This incident marks the sixth trap case reported by the Ranchi ACB bureau in 2026. The bureau has also urged the public to report any instances of government officials soliciting bribes to effectively combat corruption.