Jharkhand’s battle against bribery intensifies with the latest ACB triumph in Palamu district. Sunil Kumar, the employment sevak of Sildag Panchayat under Chhatarpur police station, is behind bars after a high-stakes trap caught him demanding and receiving Rs 6,000 from desperate women applicants.
Background checks reveal the women had submitted proposals for the Didi Bari Yojana, a vital initiative for women’s housing through village assemblies. Progress halted when Kumar insisted on a ‘facilitation fee’ of Rs 6,000. Choosing ethics over expediency, they reported the matter directly to ACB Palamu with documented proof.
The bureau’s response was textbook: complaint validation, team assembly, and deployment to the village on Friday. Disguised as routine business, the operation peaked when Kumar accepted the money—triggering his instant arrest amid chaos and public shock.
Transported to Medininagar for processing, the sevak was remanded to jail by the court. Notably, this bust completes ACB Palamu’s fourth trap of the year, signaling aggressive anti-graft measures amid rising complaints in employment schemes.
The episode exposes vulnerabilities in scheme implementation, where frontline workers wield unchecked power. Advocacy groups demand mandatory CCTV in offices and whistleblower protections. As the probe deepens, associates of the accused may also face scrutiny, reinforcing accountability in public service delivery.