Rajasthan ACB arrests two patwaris in Bharatpur for ₹30,000 bribe
Synopsis
Two Rajasthan land officials were caught red-handed demanding ₹30,000 to demarcate agricultural land that had already been measured — a service requiring no payment. The arrests, the second ACB sting in Rajasthan within a week, expose how routine revenue processes are being weaponised to extort rural citizens.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan ACB arrested patwaris Pradeep Singh and Digambar Singh of the Land Settlement Department, Bharatpur on 10 July .
The accused allegedly demanded ₹50,000 and were caught accepting ₹30,000 for demarcating land already measured.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered; interrogation continues under ACB ADG Smita Srivastava and IG S.
On 7 July , the ACB's Churu unit arrested Dr Vikendra Kumar and Kamal Kumar of APMC Churu for allegedly accepting a ₹10,000 bribe.
Citizens can report bribery via the ACB toll-free helpline 1064 or WhatsApp at 9413502834 .
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday, 10 July arrested two patwaris of the Land Settlement Department in Bharatpur after they were allegedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹30,000. The accused had reportedly demanded ₹50,000 to demarcate agricultural land that had already been measured — a service the complainant was legally entitled to without payment.
How the Trap Was Laid
According to ACB Director General Govind Gupta, the bureau's Bharatpur unit received a complaint alleging that patwaris Pradeep Singh and Digambar Singh had been harassing the complainant and family members while pressing for the bribe. After verifying the complaint, the ACB set up a sting operation under the supervision of Bharatpur Range DIG Omprakash Meena and Additional Superintendent of Police (ACB Bharatpur) Amit Singh.
The operation was led by Police Inspector Mahendra Singh. Both accused were apprehended at the moment they allegedly accepted ₹30,000 — part of the ₹50,000 they had demanded. Interrogation of the accused is ongoing under the supervision of ACB Additional Director General Smita Srivastava and Inspector General S. Parimala.
Legal Action Under Way
The ACB has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and said further investigation is in progress. The bureau has urged citizens to report bribery through its 24x7 toll-free helpline (1064) or WhatsApp helpline (9413502834), assuring assistance in accessing legitimate public services without paying bribes.
Earlier Arrest in Churu on 7 July
This is not an isolated incident. On 7 July, the ACB's Churu unit arrested Dr Vikendra Kumar (Secretary) and Kamal Kumar (Supervisor-cum-Cashier) of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Churu, while they were allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000.
The two had allegedly demanded ₹20,000 in exchange for dropping proceedings related to a notice issued to the complainant's firm at the APMC Churu premises — the notice had sought submission of cash books and accounting bills for 2019-20 and 2021. The trap was laid under the supervision of ACB Bikaner DIG Narayan Togas and led by ACB Churu Additional Superintendent of Police Mahavir Prasad Sharma. The bribe amount of ₹10,000 was recovered at the scene.
Pattern of ACB Action in Rajasthan
The back-to-back arrests in Bharatpur and Churu reflect a sustained enforcement push by the Rajasthan ACB. Notably, both cases involved officials allegedly exploiting routine administrative processes — land demarcation and market-committee oversight — to extract payments from citizens. Such mid-level corruption in revenue and agricultural departments has long been flagged as a persistent pressure point for rural complainants in the state. The ACB's use of citizen-triggered complaints and structured traps signals an effort to build public confidence in the reporting mechanism.
Point of View
Making the demand pure extortion dressed up as procedure. The ACB's trap-and-arrest model works for individual cases, but systemic relief requires digitising land demarcation records so that 'already measured' cannot be used as leverage in the first place.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the two patwaris arrested by the Rajasthan ACB?
Patwaris Pradeep Singh and Digambar Singh were arrested on 10 July after allegedly being caught accepting ₹30,000 as part of a ₹50,000 bribe demand. They had allegedly demanded the money to demarcate agricultural land in Bharatpur that had already been officially measured, harassing the complainant and family members in the process.
What legal action has been taken against the accused patwaris?
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against both accused. They are being interrogated under the supervision of ACB Additional Director General Smita Srivastava and Inspector General S. Parimala, and further investigation is ongoing.
What was the Churu ACB arrest about?
On 7 July, the ACB's Churu unit arrested Dr Vikendra Kumar and Kamal Kumar of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Churu, for allegedly accepting a ₹10,000 bribe. The two had reportedly demanded ₹20,000 to drop proceedings related to a notice seeking financial records from a firm at the APMC premises.
How can citizens report bribery to the Rajasthan ACB?
The Rajasthan ACB operates a 24x7 toll-free helpline at 1064 and a WhatsApp helpline at 9413502834. Citizens can use either channel to report bribery and seek assistance in accessing legitimate public services without paying bribes.
Who supervised the Bharatpur sting operation?
The trap was laid under the supervision of Bharatpur Range DIG Omprakash Meena and Additional Superintendent of Police (ACB Bharatpur) Amit Singh, and was executed on the ground by Police Inspector Mahendra Singh.
