Patna, Oct 13 — A team of the Vigilance Investigation Bureau from Patna arrested a Panchayat Rozgar Sevak (PRS) in Bihar’s Sheikhpura district on Tuesday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 in connection with an MGNREGA project.
The accused has been identified as Pappu Kumar, alias Prafulla Kumar, a resident of Kapasi village in Chewara block.
He was posted as a Panchayat Rozgar Sevak in Hazratpur Madro Panchayat under Ariyari block.
According to the complaint, Shravan Chaudhary, husband of Jaymanti Devi, a Panchayat Samiti member from Hazratpur Madro Panchayat, approached the Vigilance Police Station in Patna on September 25.
He alleged that Prafulla Kumar had demanded Rs 60,000 in exchange for facilitating a Rs 6 lakh MGNREGA project involving earth-filling work and the installation of paver blocks.
Following the complaint, the Vigilance Department conducted a preliminary inquiry on October 12.
After investigators reportedly substantiated the allegation of a bribe demand, they planned a trap operation.
As per the plan, the victim has given the first instalment of Rs 30,000 at the scheduled place near a waste disposal centre opposite the Ariyari block office. As soon as he handed over the money, the vigilance team allegedly caught him red-handed.
The arrest has drawn attention within local government offices. Investigators are questioning the accused to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged bribe demand and determine whether other individuals were involved.
The Vigilance Investigation Bureau is expected to produce the arrested official before a special court in Bhagalpur for further legal proceedings.
The Bureau will also examine whether the accused has assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, according to the information provided.
Further investigation will focus on the alleged bribe demand and the MGNREGA project concerned.
The arrest comes after another employee at the Sheikhpura District Transport Office was reportedly caught accepting a bribe last month.
Further legal action will depend on the investigation and court proceedings.