Major Vigilance Crackdown in Sheohar: Revenue Official Arrested Red-Handed While Taking ₹10,000 Bribe for Land Mutation

In a major action reinforcing the Bihar government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption, the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Monday arrested a revenue official in Sheohar district while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 in exchange for processing a land mutation case.

The arrested official has been identified as Ramkrit Mahato, a revenue employee posted in Purnahiya block of Sheohar district. He was caught red-handed during a meticulously planned trap laid by the SVU following a complaint that he had demanded illegal gratification for updating land records.

According to vigilance officials, the SVU received confidential information regarding the demand for bribe. After conducting a discreet verification, the complaint was found to be genuine. Subsequently, a special raiding team was constituted under the supervision of Deputy Superintendents of Police Sudhir Kumar and Sanjay Kumar Verma.

On January 5, 2026, at around 6:30 pm, the vigilance team executed the operation. As soon as the complainant handed over the demanded amount of ₹10,000 to the accused, the team swooped in and apprehended Mahato on the spot. He was immediately taken into custody, and legal proceedings have been initiated against him under relevant provisions of the law.

Vigilance officials stated that all aspects of the case are being thoroughly investigated and strict action will be taken as per legal norms. The arrest once again highlights the state government’s resolve to curb corruption in the revenue department, where complaints related to bribery in land-related works are frequently reported.

Notably, this action follows another vigilance operation carried out on January 2, when a sub-inspector posted at Akbarpur police station in Nawada district was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹25,000 to settle a case. That case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Vikas Kumar, a resident of Warisaliganj, Nawada, at the vigilance headquarters in Patna.

The successive arrests underline the intensified drive by the Bihar vigilance machinery to root out corruption from public offices and send a strong message that bribery will not be tolerated at any level of governance.