Khagaria: The vigilance department in Bihar carried out a big operation on Wednesday and arrested three government employees while they were taking bribes in different districts. The action was taken in Khagaria, Bhojpur and Madhubani after people complained and the cases were verified.
In Khagaria, Surendra Singh, a revenue employee posted in Alauli zone, was caught red-handed while taking Rs 20,000. He had first demanded Rs 1 lakh from a person for clearing a land-related case. Later, the amount was settled at Rs 20,000. The complainant informed vigilance officials, and Singh was caught in a trap. He was about to retire in four months, but his service ended in shame after the arrest.
In Bhojpur, Shahpur block education officer Ghulam Sarwar was also caught in a trap. A teacher named Santosh Pathak had a pending salary of Rs 8.54 lakh for two years. Sarwar allegedly demanded 20% commission from the total salary to release the money. After the teacher complained, the vigilance team set up a plan and arrested Sarwar while he was taking Rs 1 lakh as bribe. His arrest created tension among government staff in the area.
In Madhubani, the vigilance team arrested Mohammad Musahid, posted as MSME Mitra in the industry department. He was caught taking Rs 15,000 in his office. Musahid had demanded the money from a man who was waiting for the final instalment of his small industry loan. Officials said he was refusing to do the work until the bribe was paid. On Wednesday, he was caught with the cash in his hands.
The vigilance department confirmed that all three arrests were made after proper verification. The accused employees have been taken to Patna where they will be presented before the vigilance court. Officials said strict action will follow and urged people not to stay silent if they face corruption.
Local people welcomed the action. “Every office asks for money for simple work. It is good that some are finally being caught,” said Rajesh, a resident of Khagaria. Another teacher in Bhojpur said, “We want such action more often so that officials think twice before demanding bribes.”
Despite such arrests, corruption remains a common complaint in Bihar’s government offices. Vigilance officials admitted that many employees continue to take bribes, but warned that greed often leads to getting caught. They added that such operations will continue in the future.
