Raipur:
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Bilaspur unit on Sunday arrested a clerk posted in the office of the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) while allegedly accepting a ₹15,000 bribe to reduce a penalty imposed on a hotel operator under the Food Safety Act.
The accused, identified as Vijay Pandey, a Grade-III assistant in the ADM office, had allegedly demanded ₹20,000 from complainant Devendra Kashyap, a resident of Kargi Road Kota, assuring him that the penalty amount in his pending case would be reduced.
According to ACB officials, a Food Safety Officer had inspected Kashyap’s hotel in August 2025 and found ‘pedas’ being sold in the open. A case under the Food Safety Act was subsequently registered and was pending before the ADM-cum-Adjudicating Officer, Bilaspur.
During the proceedings, Pandey allegedly told Kashyap that the penalty could go up to ₹1 lakh and demanded ₹20,000 to ensure that the fine was reduced to ₹30,000. Unwilling to pay the bribe, Kashyap approached the ACB office in Bilaspur and lodged a complaint.
After verification, the ACB confirmed the bribery allegation. Officials said Pandey had already accepted an initial instalment of ₹5,000 during the verification process. A trap was then laid for the remaining ₹15,000.
On May 10, 2026, Pandey allegedly called the complainant to the ADM office to collect the balance amount. The ACB team caught him red-handed while accepting the money and recovered the bribe amount from his possession.
ACB sources said the bureau had been receiving repeated complaints regarding the clerk’s alleged involvement in corrupt activities. A case has been registered against Pandey under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The ACB has appealed to citizens to immediately report any demand for bribes by government officials or public servants.
