MNREGA engineer arrested while accepting Rs 30,000 bribe at Madhepura

PATNA: A trap team of vigilance investigation bureau arrested a junior engineer (JE) Abhishek Anand (30) for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 30,000 inside his private residence from Tribhuvan Yadav at Murliganj block of Madhepura district on Tuesday.
Vigilance sources said Anand had demanded bribe from Yadav for completing measurement book against the developmental works of village roads constructed by him in ward number 12 of the block under CM’s seven resolution scheme.The trap team was led by DSP Sarvesh Kumar Singh.
They said Anand was working on contract and handling work of seven panhayats of Murliganj block under central government’s MNREGA scheme.
“Yadav was member of ward number 12 and was also the up-mukhiya of Murliganj panchayat. He was involved in three developmental projects. Payment of two projects were yet to be cleared as measurement book was not prepared by Anand,” sources said.
“Part payment of one of the developmental projects was done by Anand after Yadav had paid bribe to the JE. However, for clearing payment of rest two projects, the JE demanded Rs 28,000 bribe. Rs 2000 was demanded extra as Yadav had earlier paid less commission to Anand,” he said.
They said that 10% was demanded as commission by the JE against clearing of payments every time.
Vigilance sources said Yadav finally lodged a complaint with the bureau after which his allegation was verified and was found to be true.
“During investigation after Anand’s arrested, it surfaced that his father was a retired professor from Hindi department of Madhepura university and was receiving a pension of Rs 80,000. Anand was his only child. It also surfaced that the JE had taken around Rs 40 lakh and Rs 20 lakh from two families respectively on name of marriage,” sources said adding Anand joined as JE in the central government project in 2014.