Patna, April 30 (IANS) In a major crackdown on corruption in Samastipur, a team from the Vigilance Investigation Bureau arrested a senior clerk red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh on Thursday.
The accused, identified as Anil Ram, was posted at the Rosera Sub-divisional Hospital in the district.
The action has sent shockwaves across the Health Department, highlighting ongoing concerns over corruption in public institutions.
According to an official, the complainant, Devendra Mandal—a former X-ray technician who retired in November 2025—had been struggling to receive his pending dues amounting to nearly Rs 1 crore. This included arrears, seven years of unpaid salary, and post-retirement benefits.
It is alleged that Anil Ram demanded a commission to process and release these payments.
Troubled by repeated demands, Devendra Mandal approached the Vigilance Department and filed a formal complaint.
After verifying the allegations during a preliminary inquiry, the Vigilance team laid a trap and conducted a planned operation.
The accused was caught in the act of accepting the bribe.
Following the arrest, a sense of tension and unease has gripped the hospital premises, with staff members actively discussing the incident.
The Vigilance team has taken the accused to Patna, where he will be produced before a Special Vigilance Court.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether other officials were also involved in the case.
Earlier, on April 24, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau of Bihar arrested Janardan Kumar, Block Cooperative Officer (BCO) of Rajpur block in Rohtas district, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.
According to an official, Janardan Kumar had demanded the bribe from Prashant Kumar, Manager of the Rajpur Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS), in exchange for facilitating paddy procurement and conducting the physical verification of a warehouse.
After receiving the complaint, the vigilance team verified the allegations and devised a well-planned trap.
Acting on their instructions, the PACS manager called the BCO to a medical store near Buddha Town Hall on the Nokha–Rajpur road to hand over the bribe.
As soon as the officer reached the spot, the manager handed over Rs 10,000 provided by the vigilance team.
The BCO reportedly counted the cash and placed it in his pocket, following which the vigilance officials—already stationed nearby—swiftly moved in and apprehended him.
–IANS
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