Chhattisgarh: ACB Arrests 2 Government Officers For Bribery

Raipur: The sleuths of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Chhattisgarh government, have arrested two officials from the State Audit Office in Durg for accepting hush money. The arrested persons are identified as Deputy Director Dinesh Kumar and Assistant Auditor Homan Kumar. The action followed a complaint from a retired employee of the Risali Municipal Corporation.

As per ACB, Devvrat Devangan, a retired Corporation Secretary of Nagar Palika Nigam, complained that despite his retirement, his salary and pension benefits were pending due to incomplete verification work at the Durg State Audit Office. Devvrat approached the Deputy Director and Assistant Auditor, but instead of processing his request, they demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000.

Frustrated by the delay and the demand for a bribe, Devvrat decided to report the matter to the ACB. The ACB arranged for Devvrat to negotiate a reduced bribe amount, ultimately settling on Rs 6,000.

On September 11, 2024, Devvrat provided the chemical interlaced currency notes to the officer. The notes were pre-marked by the ACB. The ACB team monitored the situation, and just handing over the currency notes, it raided the scene and caught the officials red-handed.  ACB seized the bribe amount from the possession of Deputy Director  Finance Dinesh Kumar and Assistant Auditor Homan Kumar. After the seizure of hush money from the possession of the government officers, the agency  filed a case against the accused under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The arrest highlights ongoing efforts to combat corruption within government offices and ensure accountability.