In a decisive action against corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Dhanbad, on Thursday arrested the Circle Inspector (CI) of Bengabad along with an alleged middleman while accepting a bribe related to a land mutation case.
ACB Conducts Surprise Raid at Tehsil Office
The ACB team raided the revenue department’s tehsil court office in Bengabad around 1 pm, catching Circle Inspector Surendra Yadav red-handed as he was allegedly receiving bribe money. The cash was handed over by complainant Madan Barnwal through Mukesh Kumar Yadav, who is believed to have acted as a broker in the deal.
Both the CI and Mukesh Kumar Yadav were taken into custody by ACB DSP Jitendra Kumar Singh along with his team after completing nearly one-and-a-half hours of on-site documentation. The accused were later brought to Dhanbad for further legal proceedings.
Panic in Circle Office After Arrest
The sudden ACB action created panic within the block-cum-circle office. Officials reported that the Circle Officer (CO) of Bengabad left his office immediately after learning about the raid and reportedly switched off his mobile phone. Other staff members and individuals suspected of acting as intermediaries also fled the premises.
Bribe Demand Linked to Mutation Work
According to ACB officials, the complainant Madan Barnwal, a resident of Giridih, had approached the ACB’s divisional office in Dhanbad with a written complaint. He stated that his daughter, Lakshmi Kumari Barnwal, had purchased 7.34 decimals of land in Motileda village (Khata No. 74, Plot No. 4045).
An application for mutation (dakhil-kharij) was submitted at the LRDC office, from where it was forwarded to the Bengabad Circle Office. When the family met Circle Officer Amir Hamza, they were directed to meet Circle Inspector Surendra Yadav. During the meeting, the CI allegedly demanded ₹15,000 to process the mutation.
Verification and Trap Operation
Distressed by the demand, the complainant approached the ACB. After verification confirmed the allegations to be genuine, a case (No. 11/2025) was registered and a trap team was formed. During the operation, the accused were caught accepting ₹6,000 as part of the demanded bribe.
Investigation Ongoing
Both the Circle Inspector and the alleged middleman have been taken to Dhanbad for further questioning. ACB officials indicated that the investigation will continue to determine whether others were involved in similar acts of corruption.
