Chittorgarh, January 9 — In a major crackdown on corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Chittorgarh arrested the sarpanch and secretary of Sahanwa Gram Panchayat for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹70,000. The officials reportedly demanded the kickback in exchange for approving payment for a construction project carried out by a contractor. The arrest was made after the ACB conducted a sting operation and caught the duo red-handed.
Demand for Five Percent Bribe on Payment
According to Vikramsingh, Additional Superintendent of Police, ACB Chittorgarh, a contractor approached the bureau with a complaint. The contractor stated that the Gram Panchayat of Sahanwa, under the Chittorgarh Panchayat Samiti, had approved a budget of ₹22 lakh for the construction of two buildings and a veranda at Bojunda School. After completing part of the construction, the contractor was due a payment of ₹7.65 lakh as the first installment.
However, instead of processing the payment smoothly, the sarpanch, Bhairulal Suthar, and secretary, Deepak Chaturvedi, allegedly demanded a bribe in return. Initially, they sought 15 percent of the total payment, but after negotiations, the amount was settled at five percent each, resulting in a total bribe demand of ₹70,000—₹35,000 for each official.
ACB Sting Operation: How the Officials Were Caught
Once the complaint was verified and the demand for the bribe was confirmed, the ACB laid a trap. On Thursday, the sarpanch, Bhairulal Suthar, was caught accepting ₹70,000 near the gate of Satellite Hospital. After the sarpanch was apprehended, the ACB officers asked him to call secretary Deepak Chaturvedi and confirm the handover of the bribe. During the phone conversation, the secretary agreed to accept ₹35,000 as his share. Following this, the ACB team immediately arrested the secretary at the gate of the Panchayat Samiti office.
Both officials were taken to the ACB office in Chittorgarh, where they are being interrogated. The investigation aims to uncover more details about potential corrupt practices in the Gram Panchayat and whether other officials are involved.
OTP Withheld to Force Bribe Payment
Providing further details, Additional SP Vikramsingh revealed that while the contractor’s payment had been approved a few days earlier, it required a One-Time Password (OTP) from the Gram Panchayat to be transferred into his account. Despite the payment being ready, the sarpanch and secretary withheld the OTP, using it as leverage to demand a bribe.
Only after agreeing on the bribe amount did the officials share the OTP with the contractor. On Wednesday evening, ₹7.65 lakh was transferred to the contractor’s account after he complied with their demand. Remarkably, the accused officials attempted to present themselves as “honest” by claiming they were not taking a bribe on the full amount, stating they had only demanded a commission on ₹7 lakh instead of the total payment.
Corruption in Rural Governance: A Growing Concern
This incident underscores the growing problem of corruption in rural governance, where local officials often exploit their positions to demand kickbacks from contractors working on government-approved projects. The timely intervention by ACB Chittorgarh prevented the contractor from succumbing to corrupt practices and exposed the unethical conduct of the sarpanch and secretary.
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Action
Both Bhairulal Suthar and Deepak Chaturvedi are currently in ACB custody, where further questioning is underway. The bureau is also investigating whether similar demands were made from other contractors and if corruption was prevalent in other Gram Panchayat projects. Legal proceedings will follow, and the officials may face strict penalties if found guilty of corruption.
The ACB has appealed to the public and contractors to come forward with any information related to corruption in local bodies. Such complaints can help authorities take swift action and ensure transparency in government dealings.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
