Bhojpur: A major financial irregularity has surfaced in the Bhojpur District Transport Office in Bihar, where a motor vehicle tax scam involving Rs 69 lakh has been detected. The case has been registered against a data entry operator accused of not depositing government revenue into the treasury. However, the incident has raised serious concerns about accountability within the transport department, as no action has so far been taken against senior officials who were responsible for monitoring tax collection.
According to official information, the District Transport Officer (DTO) of Bhojpur submitted a complaint to the Nawada police station on January 13, 2026. The complaint stated that Ajay Kumar Singh, who was working as a data entry operator, failed to deposit Rs 69,11,698 collected as motor vehicle tax in cash from the RTPS counter into the government treasury. Based on this complaint, the police registered Case No. 43/26 and booked the accused under sections 316(4) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The transport department claims that the accused was given several opportunities to explain the matter. Letters seeking clarification were sent to him on December 9, 2025, and January 2, 2026. Officials warned that if no response was received, it would be assumed that the money had been misappropriated. As no reply came even after repeated notices, the department concluded that government funds had been embezzled and recommended criminal action along with recovery of the amount.
What has drawn wider attention is the absence of any inquiry into the role of senior officials. In a district transport office, tax collection does not depend on a single employee. The Nazir is responsible for depositing the collected cash into the treasury, while the DTO is expected to supervise the entire process. Critics argue that it is difficult to believe such a large amount could go missing without lapses in monitoring. Questions are being raised about how daily deposits were handled and why the issue was not detected earlier.
The accused data operator was handed charge of tax collection on September 3, 2024. Within a few months, the alleged scam came to light. By the time the matter reached the police, the then DTO had been transferred and a new officer had taken over. Only after this change was the case formally registered. The episode has once again highlighted concerns about corruption and weak oversight in government departments, with many asking whether fixing responsibility only at the lowest level will truly address the problem.
