Bihar: Health official arrested over bribery charges in Nalanda​

Patna, March 26 (IANS) In a continued crackdown on corruption, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Thursday carried out a major operation in Nalanda, Nitish Kumar's home district, leading to the arrest of a Health Department official.​

The action was taken in Nagarnausa block, where a bribery complaint surfaced regarding the correction of an ASHA worker’s birth certificate.​

Acting on the complaint, vigilance officials arrested Manjit Kumar, a Block Community Mobilizer (BCM) at the Primary Health Centre, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.​

According to an official, the accused had initially demanded Rs 25,000 from Bobby Kumari, a resident of Nagarnausa. After negotiations, the amount was settled at Rs 10,000.​

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the vigilance department, prompting an inquiry that confirmed the allegations.​

Based on these findings, the VIB team laid a trap. As soon as the money was handed over, officials moved in and apprehended the accused on the spot at his premises, creating a stir in the area.​

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shriram Chaudhary confirmed that the complaint was filed on February 23 and, after verification, a raid team was constituted to execute the operation successfully.​

Following the arrest, the accused has been taken into custody for interrogation, and further legal proceedings are underway.​

The incident has sent shockwaves through the health administration, with employees feeling a noticeable sense of fear amid the ongoing anti-corruption drive in Bihar.​

Notably, this is the second major action by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau in the Nagarnausa block of Nalanda within just a week, indicating a sustained anti-corruption drive in the region.​

Earlier, on March 20, a Block Panchayati Raj Officer (BPRO) posted at the Block Office was also arrested while accepting a bribe of Rs 12,000.​

The alleged demand was made for processing a file related to the Chhath Puja Ghat development scheme.​

The back-to-back operations have intensified scrutiny on block-level offices and raised concerns about systemic corruption in local administration.​

At the same time, these actions are being seen as a strong signal from authorities that strict measures are being taken to curb bribery and ensure accountability in government functioning across Bihar.​

--IANS

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