Hazaribag ACB Nabs District Ayush Officer in Bribery Sting Operation
In a significant crackdown on corruption within the healthcare administration, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Hazaribag executed a meticulously planned operation on Monday, resulting in the arrest of Dr Ram Prakash Verma, a 62-year-old district Ayush medical officer. The arrest was made while Dr Verma was allegedly in the act of accepting a bribe amounting to Rs 10,000 from a contractual doctor, who had sought his intervention for the release of her long-pending salary.
Complaint Details and Allegations of Systematic Extortion
The case originated from a formal complaint lodged by Dr Priya Kumari, a 31-year-old contractual Ayush doctor assigned to a community health centre located in the Tandwa block of Chatra district. According to the ACB's investigation, Dr Kumari accused Dr Verma of engaging in a pattern of extortion, demanding a monthly bribe of Rs 5,000 as a prerequisite for processing and clearing her salary bills. This alleged demand had persisted over several months, creating financial distress for the complainant.
With her salary arrears accumulating to four months, the situation escalated when Dr Verma purportedly increased his illicit demand to Rs 20,000, citing the need to expedite the release of the pending payments. This brazen attempt to exploit a government employee's rightful earnings prompted Dr Kumari to approach the ACB, setting the stage for a carefully orchestrated trap.
ACB's Swift Action and Legal Proceedings
The ACB team, acting on the complaint, laid a trap that culminated in Dr Verma's arrest while he was accepting Rs 10,000 as part of the demanded bribe. Arif Ekram, the Superintendent of Police for the ACB in Hazaribag, confirmed the arrest and emphasized that further legal actions are being pursued rigorously. The arrest underscores the ACB's commitment to rooting out corruption in public offices, particularly in sectors critical to public welfare like healthcare.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities faced by contractual employees in government departments, where delays in salary disbursement can be exploited by unscrupulous officials. The ACB's intervention not only brings the accused to justice but also sends a strong message against such malpractices, aiming to deter similar acts in the future.
The case is now under detailed investigation, with authorities examining all aspects to ensure a thorough legal process. Such actions are pivotal in maintaining transparency and integrity within India's administrative frameworks, especially in regions like Hazaribag where governance challenges persist.
