Gayaji: A senior government officer in Bihar has been suspended following serious allegations of sexual harassment and corruption. Dr Anuranjan Kumar Gautam, the district animal husbandry officer in Gaya, is accused of pressuring a female subordinate into an illicit relationship and forcing her to marry him. He allegedly threatened to withhold her salary if she refused.
The Animal and Fisheries Resources Department issued a suspension order on Tuesday after audio and video recordings, purportedly confirming the allegations, surfaced and went viral. In the recordings, Dr Gautam is reportedly heard admitting to the claims made by the female employee, as well as to accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 in exchange for a promotion.
The suspension order states that since Dr Gautam is heard acknowledging the accusations and even offering to return the bribe money, the charges against him stand substantiated.
The case has stirred widespread concern, particularly within the local veterinary community. The Bihar Veterinary Association’s Gaya unit held a meeting on June 18, in which another allegation emerged—this time of intimidation and inappropriate conduct towards a female doctor.
