Raipur: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Bilaspur has arrested the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Janpad Panchayat Sakti, along with a clerk and a peon, for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with the release of pending funds for development works in Sakti district.
According to an ACB complaint filed by Arjun Bhardwaj, sarpanch of Limtara village, ₹20 lakh had been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana for development projects, including the construction of a cremation ground and drainage system. While a cheque of ₹8 lakh had already been released by Janpad Panchayat Sakti, the remaining ₹12 lakh was pending.
Bhardwaj alleged that when he approached the Janpad Panchayat office for the release of the balance amount, CEO Nikhil Kashyap and clerk Avinash Thakur demanded a commission of ₹2 lakh. Unwilling to pay the bribe, he reported the matter to the ACB.
During the verification process, the ACB found that clerk Avinash Thakur had allegedly accepted an advance payment of ₹1 lakh through office peon Lachchan Bhanu. Acting on the complaint, the ACB laid a trap on June 15, 2026, and allegedly caught CEO Nikhil Kashyap, clerk Avinash Thakur and peon Lachchan Bhanu red-handed while accepting the remaining ₹1 lakh instalment of the bribe.
The ACB has initiated further proceedings against all three accused under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.
