ACB Traps Officer Red-Handed in West Singhbhum Corruption Case
Key Points:
- Bandgaon station in-charge Manish Kumar caught accepting Rs 15,000 bribe
- Anti Corruption Bureau lays trap after verifying complainant’s allegation
- Officer taken into custody as legal action proceeds under corruption law
CHAKRADHARPUR – The Anti Corruption Bureau arrested the officer in charge of Bandgaon police station on Thursday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 in West Singhbhum district.
The bureau caught the officer, identified as Manish Kumar, red-handed while he was accepting the money, and the arrest has caused a stir within the local police department.
However, the case began after a complainant approached the ACB alleging that the station in-charge had demanded Rs 15,000 in exchange for assistance in a case registered at Bandgaon police station and for relief during subsequent proceedings. The complainant said the amount was sought as a condition for cooperation.
Meanwhile, officials verified the complaint before laying a trap for the accused officer. Investigators found the allegation credible and devised a plan to catch him in the act, sending the complainant to hand over the bribe amount as arranged.
At around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, the officer accepted the Rs 15,000 payment, at which point a waiting ACB team moved in and apprehended him on the spot. Officials also recovered the bribe money from his possession.
“The trap was executed exactly as planned once the money changed hands,” an ACB official said, describing the operation.
Besides the arrest, the accused officer was taken into custody by the ACB team for questioning. Further legal action is being pursued under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The bureau’s action in the district is being seen as a significant success in the ongoing drive against corruption.
In addition, the case adds to a series of enforcement actions reported from the wider Chaibasa and West Singhbhum region in recent months, including the arrest of a long-absconding warrantee and a separate narcotics raid conducted elsewhere in the state. On the other hand, the district has also seen recent arrests linked to Maoist surrenders, underscoring continuing security operations in the Kolhan region.
Moreover, the bribery case follows other recent action against irregularities in West Singhbhum, including a court verdict that sentenced five convicts in a separate criminal case in the district earlier this month.
