MP: Two govt officials caught taking bribes in Chhindwara, Jabalpur

Jabalpur/Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh): Two employees of the tribal development department were caught accepting bribes in Chhindwara and Jabalpur districts of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Wednesday.

The Lokayukta police on Tuesday caught Sangita Jhade, an accountant with the tribal development department, in Chhindwara, while Manish Parte, a computer operator, was nabbed in Jabalpur, Lokayukta's Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjay Sahu said.

The son of a Class 4 employee posted at a tribal hostel in Sonpur had alleged that Jhade had demanded Rs 80,000 to correct his birth date in the official records, he said.

A trap was laid and the accountant was caught accepting the first instalment of Rs 25,000 at the office of the Assistant Commissioner, Tribal Welfare Department, the official said.

In Jabalpur, the Lokayukta team nabbed the assistant grade-3 computer operator at the regional office of deputy commissioner of the department while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a man for releasing his appointment order, he said.

The complainant, Pawan Jharia of Tikaria village in neighbouring Mandla district, had been selected for the post of a teacher grade-2 through a competitive examination and the accused official had demanded Rs 5,000 to release his appointment order, he said.

Offences have been registered against the two accused officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further legal steps are being taken, the official added.