Bihar: Vigilance team catches dairy officer red-handed taking bribe
Patna: The Bihar Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) has arrested a government official in a bribery case in Bettiah in West Champaran district on Friday.
The vigilance team caught Anurag Abhishek, a Field Officer at the District Dairy Development Office, red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 inside his office premises.
The action was taken following a complaint lodged by Bablu Kumar, a resident of Gaunaha.
Acting on the complaint, a special vigilance team from Patna conducted a raid in the Banuchhapar area and arrested the accused official.
According to the complainant, he had purchased four cows under a dairy development scheme and was entitled to a government subsidy of Rs 1.90 lakh.
However, the official allegedly demanded money to release the subsidy.
Bablu Kumar alleged that the officer had earlier taken Rs 32,000 from him in the name of insurance and other office expenses.
Later, the officer allegedly demanded an additional Rs 30,000 in cash to process the remaining subsidy amount.
“When he demanded money again, I approached the Vigilance Department and lodged a written complaint against the dairy officer. The vigilance officers caught him while accepting Rs 30,000,” Bablu Kumar said.
Confirming the development, Mithilesh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the VIB, said the accused dairy field officer was arrested while accepting the bribe linked to the subsidy meant for the complainant’s dairy project.
Following the arrest, Anurag Abhishek was taken into custody and is being brought to Patna for further legal proceedings.
Officials said the operation sends a strong message about the Vigilance Department’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption in government offices.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
Earlier, on March 2, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau arrested Roshan Kumar, an Assistant Engineer posted with the District Education Project in Bettiah, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh.