A major anti-corruption operation in Bihar's Banka district has sparked widespread administrative tremors after Block Development Officer (BDO) Amit Pratap Singh of Fullidumar block was apprehended while taking a bribe of Rs 75,000. The arrest has drawn intense public attention because it occurred just 24 hours after the same official got a former village head jailed over an altercation at his office. The quick succession of events has sent shockwaves through the local administration.
BDO and Relative Taken into Custody in Banka
On Tuesday morning, a specialized team from the Vigilance Investigation Bureau headquartered in Patna executed a covert trap operation at the officer's private residence in Nehru Colony, located within Banka town. The officer, identified as BDO Amit Pratap Singh, was caught red-handed as he accepted the sum of Rs 75,000 from the complainant. During the search operation, the BDO's uncle, Bachchan Prasad Singh, who was present at the residence, was also taken into custody by the vigilance officials. Both individuals were escorted to the Banka Circuit House for detailed interrogation.
Vigilance Operation Triggered by Block Chief's Complaint
According to official details provided by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau, the operation was initiated based on a formal written complaint lodged by Fullidumar Block Chief Gautam Prakash. In his complaint, Gautam Prakash alleged that BDO Amit Pratap Singh was demanding a bribe of Rs 75,000 in exchange for granting official administrative approval and facilitating the release of funds for several developmental projects under the Panchayati Raj Department. Upon receiving the grievance, the vigilance department initiated a discreet verification process. Once the allegation of bribery was substantiated during the preliminary inquiry, a trap team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank officer was dispatched to Banka to execute the raid.
Dramatic Twist Follows Previous Day's Arrest
The arrest has generated significant buzz across the region due to the events that unfolded just a day prior. On Monday, an altercation took place at the Fullidumar block office regarding the issuance of a birth certificate. BDO Amit Pratap Singh had accused former Mukhiya Sanjeev Kumar Mandal of engaging in physical scuffles and obstructing official duties. Based on a police complaint lodged by the BDO, local authorities arrested Sanjeev Kumar Mandal on Monday and sent him to judicial custody. However, within 24 hours of securing the former Mukhiya's imprisonment, the BDO found himself caught in the vigilance department's net for demanding and accepting illicit money.
Legal Procedures and Presentation in Special Court
Vigilance Investigation Bureau officials are currently questioning BDO Amit Pratap Singh and his uncle Bachchan Prasad Singh at the Banka Circuit House. Legal formalities and paperwork under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act are being processed. Following the completion of mandatory procedures, the vigilance team plans to produce the arrested BDO and his uncle before the Special Vigilance Court in Patna for further legal proceedings.
