Jaipur, March 5 (Udaipur Kiran): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday caught a village development officer and an agent red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹8,000 in Pratapgarh district.
According to information from the ACB headquarters, the action was carried out by the ACB outpost in Pratapgarh. The accused have been identified as Yashwant Joshi, Village Development Officer of Gram Panchayat Suhagpura with additional charge of Gram Panchayat Kachotiya, and Rajmal, an e-Mitra operator acting as a middleman.
The ACB received a complaint alleging that the accused officer had demanded ₹12,000 to facilitate the registration of a house lease (patta) for the complainant. The officer had asked the complainant to hand over the amount through the middleman Rajmal Hadoti, who runs an e-Mitra centre.
A verification of the complaint was conducted on February 27, 2026. During verification, it was confirmed that the accused officer demanded a bribe of ₹12,000 through the agent. It was decided that ₹8,000 would be paid before completing the registration and the remaining amount after the process.
Acting on the complaint, a trap was laid under the supervision of ACB Deputy Inspector General Dr. Rameshwar Singh and led by Pratapgarh Additional Superintendent of Police Vikram Singh. During the operation, the ACB team caught Rajmal, the middleman, red-handed while accepting ₹8,000 on behalf of the officer.
During the trap proceedings, Rajmal was asked to contact Yashwant Joshi over the phone. Joshi reportedly gave consent to accept the bribe amount and instructed that the registration documents be signed at the e-Mitra centre. Based on this involvement, the ACB team later detained and arrested Village Development Officer Yashwant Joshi.
ACB officials said further questioning of the accused is underway. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigation is being carried out.
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.
