The Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) in Bihar made a significant arrest on Wednesday, catching a data entry operator red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 37,100 at the Child Development Project Office (CDPO) in Naubatpur, located in Patna district. The accused, identified as Santosh Kumar, was apprehended inside his office chamber during the carefully planned operation.
Complaint and Investigation
The action was initiated after a vigilance case was registered on May 18, based on a complaint filed by Sushila Kumari, the wife of Sumit Prakash, a resident of Gaighat under the Alamganj police station area in Patna. Sushila Kumari currently serves as a supervisor at the CDPO office in Naubatpur. In her complaint, she alleged that Kumar was demanding bribes from 17 Anganwadi centres under her supervision.
According to the complaint, Kumar sought 25% of the funds allocated for nutrition and eggs—amounting to approximately Rs 10,000 to Rs 14,000 per centre—for the CDPO, along with an additional 1% commission for himself. This systematic extortion had been ongoing, causing distress among the Anganwadi workers.
Operation and Arrest
VIB Additional Director General (ADG) Jitendra Singh Gangwar provided details of the operation. He stated, "The complaint was thoroughly verified, and evidence of bribe demand was found. After prima facie confirmation, a trap team was constituted under DSP Sujit Kumar Sagar. The team successfully caught Santosh Kumar while he was accepting Rs 37,100 as a bribe." The accused was taken into custody and will be produced before the Special Vigilance Court in Patna following interrogation. Further investigation is currently underway to uncover any additional involvement.
Corruption Statistics
According to VIB data, this arrest marks the 59th First Information Report (FIR) related to corruption registered in 2026, which includes 54 trap cases. So far, 51 accused have been caught red-handed, with total recoveries amounting to Rs 20,78,300. In comparison, the previous year, 2025, saw 101 trap cases registered, leading to the seizure of Rs 37,80,300 in bribe money. These figures highlight the ongoing efforts of the VIB to combat corruption in the state.
