In a significant anti-corruption move, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) apprehended a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) from the Electricity Department in Bihar’s Banka district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. The arrest of Bijendra Kumar, the identified SDO, took place at the Rajoun Electrical Sub-Division office during the operation. Following the arrest, the Vigilance team detained Kumar and transferred him to Patna for further legal actions and questioning.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Manoj Kumar Yadav, a resident of Ghasiya village, regarding the conversion of his domestic electricity connection to a commercial one. Allegedly, the SDO demanded a bribe for processing the legitimate departmental work, initially asking for Rs 2 lakh, which was later reduced to Rs 30,000. Refusing to pay the bribe, Yadav lodged a written complaint with the Vigilance Investigation Bureau in Patna, prompting an investigation into the matter. Subsequently, officials organized a trap operation based on the evidence found, leading to the arrest of the accused when he accepted Rs 20,000 on Monday.
The Vigilance Department’s operation, spearheaded by Vigilance DSP Satyendra Ram and executed by a specialized team of ten members, including Police Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors, ensured all necessary procedural and technical protocols were followed. These measures included verifying currency note serial numbers and conducting chemical tests on the marked money to substantiate the bribery allegations.
