Patna: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a bank manager and an assistant in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district for allegedly accepting a bribe to release a government loan subsidy.
Vivek Kumar, branch manager of Bihar Gramin Bank in Babhangaama, and Saurav Kumar, a contractual employee, were apprehended while accepting Rs 10,000 from a complainant. The bribe was reportedly demanded for processing the subsidy component of a loan under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), a scheme aimed at supporting small entrepreneurs.
According to a CBI statement, the complainant had previously been sanctioned and disbursed a loan under PMEGP in 2022. However, the bank officials allegedly demanded Rs 15,000 to release the subsidy portion of the loan. After receiving a complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught both officials red-handed while accepting Rs 10,000.
Both individuals were taken into custody and transported to Patna for further questioning. The CBI has registered a case and is continuing its investigation.
