Lokayukta traps officials accepting bribes in Indore, Jhabua:IMC official in Indore and food department official in Jhabua caught taking Rs3,000 and Rs50,000, respectively

The Lokayukta police in Madhya Pradesh carried out two separate trap operations this week, catching officials red-handed while accepting bribes. The actions highlight ongoing efforts to curb corruption in government offices across the state. Case 1: health department officials in Indore caught taking Rs3,000 bribe A Health Department sanitation inspector and a private supervisor were caught by the Lokayukta trap team while accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000. The complainant, Manoj Chauhan, resident of Indore, reported that his tractor, used to transport debris from C-21 Mall to his site, was stopped by Zone-22 Indore Municipal Corporation inspector Gopal Patona and supervisor Bharat Muradiya. The officials allegedly demanded Rs10,000, claiming that the debris was mixed with garbage, and threatened to seize the tractor. Inspector and supervisor caught red handed A verification revealed that Bharat had taken Rs2,000 immediately, with the balance of Rs3,000 to be delivered the next day. On September 25, the Lokayukta trap team apprehended Patona as he collected the bribe and handed it to Bharat. During the process, Patona was heard asking the complainant for a monthly payoff. Both officials have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. The trap team was led by Inspector Pratibha Tomar, along with officers Rahim Khan, Ashish Shukla, Shailendra Baghel, Aditya Bhadoriya, Kamlesh Parihar, and Rakesh Mishra. Case 2: food department officials in Jhabua nabbed with Rs50,000 bribe In a separate case, Lokayukta officials trapped district supply officer Ashish Azad and assistant salesman Jitendra Nayak in Jhabua. The complainant, Manoj Tahed, 32, resident of Negadia village, alleged that his fair price shop was suspended without notice and reassigned. When he approached the office, Nayak offered to lift the suspension and avoid FIRs in exchange for a bribe. After negotiations, the officials demanded Rs1 lakh, but accepted Rs50,000 during the trap operation conducted on September 25 at the district supply office. Booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act Both officials have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018 and Section 61(2) of BNS 2023. The trap team included Inspector Renu Agrawal, Pramod Yadav, Pawan Patoria, Manish Mathur, Ashish Arya, and Krishna Ahirwar. These operations mark a significant effort by the Indore Lokayukta and allied teams to ensure accountability and send a strong message against corruption in government offices.