Sawai Madhopur BDO Arrested for Accepting ₹1 Lakh Bribe, ACB Reports

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan apprehended Jagdish Prasad Meena, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Panchayat Samiti Sawai Madhopur, on Tuesday, February 24. According to officials, Meena, who also held the additional charge of District Project Manager, was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹1,00,000. This action follows a series of anti-corruption drives in the region, including a trap involving a medical officer just a day prior.

The arrest has caused a significant stir within the local administration. This marks the second major trap operation in the Sawai Madhopur district within 48 hours, following the arrest of a Chief Medical Officer in Gangapur City on Monday for accepting ₹25,000.

Details of the Bribery Demand

According to the ACB Jaipur Unit-I, a formal complaint was lodged against the BDO, while the complainant alleged that Jagdish Prasad Meena was demanding a bribe of ₹1,00,000 each from him and two of his colleagues. The official reportedly threatened to relieve them from their positions as Block Program Managers (BPM) if the demands weren't met. Plus, the bribe was demanded in exchange for clearing pending travel allowances and other official bills. The official was also allegedly pressuring the complainant to collect money from the other two employees.

Execution of the Trap Operation

Following the complaint, the ACB conducted a verification process under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General of Police (II) Anand Sharma. Once the demand for the bribe was verified as authentic, a trap was laid on Tuesday. During the operation, the accused BDO was caught in the act of receiving ₹1,00,000 from the complainant. The entire process was overseen by Additional Director General Smita Srivastava and Inspector General of Police Satendra Kumar. The bureau confirmed that the arrest was made in accordance with established legal protocols.

Ongoing Searches at Multiple Locations

Additional Superintendent of Police Bhupendra Chaudhary stated that the investigation has been extended to the residences of the accused, while a team from Tonk ACB is currently conducting a search at Meena's official residence in Sawai Madhopur. Simultaneously, a team from Kota ACB is searching his private residence located in Kota. Officials are scrutinizing various documents and assets found during these raids to gather further evidence related to the case and identify any undisclosed assets.

Legal Action and Investigation

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case against Jagdish Prasad Meena under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Officials stated that the interrogation of the accused is ongoing to determine if there are other individuals involved in the bribery network. The bureau is also investigating the records of the Panchayat Samiti to identify any other financial irregularities, while the accused will be produced before the special ACB court following the completion of initial proceedings.