Clerk held for accepting Rs 10k bribe in Aurangabad

Patna: A lower-division clerk posted in Aurangabad district was arrested on Monday after the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) caught him red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs10,000 for land mutation. The action followed a verified complaint alleging bribery demands by Haspura circle officer (CO) Kaushalya Kumari and clerk Shlok Kumar.Additional director general (ADG) of SVU, Pankaj Kumar Darad, said, “Muneel Kumar, a resident of Koilwan in Aurangabad district, filed a complaint at the SVU office alleging that Haspura CO Kaushalya Kumari and clerk Shlok Kumar were demanding a bribe of Rs15,000 in exchange for land mutation (dakhil-kharij).”During verification, Shlok Kumar reportedly stated that the mutation would not be done until Rs10,000 was paid. He also admitted that the amount was meant for the CO and demanded an additional Rs1,000–2,000 for himself.After the complaint was found to be true, a case was registered at the SVU police station under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.Darad added, “Subsequently, a raiding team was formed under the leadership of SVU DSP Ashok Kumar Jha. The team laid a trap and caught the accused clerk, Shlok Kumar, red-handed while accepting the bribe. The SVU team is interrogating the arrested accused, and the investigation is ongoing.”