In a shocking case of corruption targeting the agricultural community, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday arrested a cooperative bank manager in Rajasthan's Ajmer district. The official was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a farmer. The bribe was demanded to release an already approved instalment for crop damage compensation.
The Trap and Arrest Details
The accused has been identified as Prameshwar Prajapat, who served as the manager of a cooperative bank in Dhatola village under the Bhinai block. The action followed a formal complaint lodged by a local farmer from the same village. The farmer narrated that his crops were damaged due to excessive rainfall. After a proper Girdawari (crop survey), his claim was approved and sent to the bank for payment.
However, the bank manager, Prajapat, deliberately withheld the payment. The complainant was forced to make repeated visits to the bank. The situation escalated last month when the manager demanded Rs 30,000 as illegal gratification to finally release the compensation amount. Frustrated, the farmer approached the ACB's Ajmer unit.
ACB's Swift Action and Investigation
Acting on the complaint, ACB Superintendent of Police Mahaveer Singh Ranawat ordered a verification of the allegations. Once the claims were found credible, a trap was laid. On Saturday, the complainant was given marked currency notes and sent to the bank. The ACB team waited outside.
As soon as Prajapat accepted the bribe money inside the bank premises, the ACB team swooped in and caught him in the act. He was immediately taken into custody and moved to Ajmer for detailed questioning and further legal proceedings.
Ongoing Probe and Asset Verification
The investigation has now widened in scope. ACB officials stated that they are working to ascertain a critical question: were other farmers similarly forced to pay bribes to obtain their rightful compensation? This line of inquiry could reveal a larger pattern of corruption.
Simultaneously, the bureau has initiated a thorough assessment of the accused's financial status. This includes:
- Verification of his income and assets.
- Scrutiny of bank accounts and lockers.
- Examination of properties and other holdings.
The goal is to check for the existence of disproportionate assets that may have been accumulated through corrupt means. The case highlights the vulnerabilities faced by farmers even when seeking government-approved relief, putting a spotlight on corruption at the grassroots level.
