Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Bihar Vigilance arrests panchayat secretary allegedly accepting bribe
In India, there is a special police team called the Vigilance Bureau that catches government workers who take money they should not take.
One of those workers was a man named Shankar Prasad, who helped manage money for a water scheme in his village area.
A contractor named Parvez Kaushar did maintenance work for this water scheme and was waiting for his payment.
Mr. Prasad asked him for 28,000 rupees before he would release the payment.
The contractor did not want to pay, so he told the Vigilance Bureau about it.
The officers set up a clever trap to catch Mr. Prasad.
When Mr. Prasad took the first 15,000 rupees, officers arrested him right away.
They also searched his house and took some documents.
Now Mr. Prasad is in legal trouble and will go to court in Patna.
This shows that taking bribes—money to do your job—is against the law.
The Bihar Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) arrested Panchayat Secretary Shankar Prasad red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 15,000 bribe.
Prasad had allegedly demanded Rs 28,000 from contractor Parvez Kaushar to release a pending payment under the Nal-Jal (Tap-Water) scheme.
Kaushar filed a complaint with the Vigilance Department on July 27 after his payment was allegedly delayed over the bribe demand.
The arrest took place during a Sahyog Shivir at the Maldahiya Madrasa, and a subsequent search of Prasad's residence at Hardiya Chowk yielded seized documents and records.
Prasad will be produced before the Vigilance Court in Patna, with legal proceedings initiated under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The VIB has also recently arrested a panchayat Mukhiya for an alleged Rs 12,000 bribe under MGNREGA and a police Sub-Inspector for an alleged Rs 50,000 bribe.
- Who
- Panchayat Secretary Shankar Prasad, arrested by the Bihar Vigilance Investigation Bureau after a complaint by contractor Parvez Kaushar.
- What
- Prasad was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 15,000 bribe to process a pending Nal-Jal scheme payment.
- When
- Wednesday morning, following a complaint filed with the Vigilance Department on July 27.
- Where
- Maldahiya Panchayat, Narkatiaganj block, West Champaran district, Bihar; Prasad will be produced before the Vigilance Court in Patna.
- Why
- Prasad allegedly demanded a bribe from the contractor in exchange for releasing his delayed payment under the Nal-Jal scheme.
- Accused
- Shankar Prasad, Panchayat Secretary
- Arresting agency
- Bihar Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB)
- Alleged bribe demanded
- Rs 28,000
- Amount allegedly accepted
- Rs 15,000 (first instalment)
- Complainant
- Parvez Kaushar, contractor
- Scheme involved
- Nal-Jal (Tap-Water) scheme
- Location
- Maldahiya Panchayat, Narkatiaganj block, West Champaran, Bihar
- Legal action
- Proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act; produced before Vigilance Court, Patna