Two govt officials arrested for taking bribes in Patna, Nawada

Patna: The Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Wednesday arrested two govt officials for allegedly accepting bribes in Patna and Nawada districts.

In the first case, Dr Ajay Kumar, regional additional director (Health) of Tirhut division, Muzaffarpur, was caught red-handed accepting Rs 40,000 from Govind Mitra Road under Pirbahore police station limits in Patna.

Director general (DG) of VIB, Jitendra Singh Gangwar, said the arrest followed a vigilance case registered on June 2. The complaint was filed by Vivek Singh of Bairiya, Gopalpur (Patna), who alleged that the accused had demanded a bribe to allow him to stay with his pregnant wife, Neha Kumari, posted as in-charge principal at ANM School Mahnar-cum-Hostel Community Health Centre in Sahdei Bujurg, Vaishali. The official had allegedly threatened to evict him and suspend his wife if the money was not paid.

After verification found the allegation prima facie true, a trap team led by DSP Rita Sinha caught the accused accepting the bribe. He will be produced before the Special Vigilance Court in Patna after interrogation.

In another operation, VIB arrested Biru Kumar Choudhary, rural housing assistant at Meskaur block in Nawada, while allegedly accepting Rs 10,000. He was caught on the road in front of the block office.

The case pertains to a complaint filed by Dhananjay Kumar of Pabai village, who alleged that Choudhary had demanded the bribe for uploading photographs of an under-construction house to facilitate release of the third instalment under the Indira Awas scheme. Following verification, a trap team led by DSP Mithilesh Kumar arrested him.

Both accused will be produced before the Special Vigilance Court in Patna.

VIB said these were the 67th and 68th FIRs registered in corruption cases in 2026, and the 62nd and 63rd trap cases this year. So far, 62 accused have been caught red-handed, with total bribe recoveries of Rs 24,97,800. In 2025, the bureau had registered 101 trap cases with total recoveries of Rs 37,80,300. Further investigation is underway in both cases.