Raipur:
The Bilaspur Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Dr Santosh Kumar Patel, in-charge Civil Surgeon of Sakti District Hospital, on Thursday night for demanding and accepting a ₹1 lakh bribe from a subordinate.
Dr Patel had demanded the money from Ganga Prasad Ratnakar, a Pharmacist Grade-II, to forward his pay data to the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) office.
Ratnakar, whose original posting is at the CMHO office in Portha, has been working on attachment at the Sakti District Hospital since February 2026. Dr Patel withheld Ratnakar’s pay data for May and June 2026, demanding ₹20,000 per month for the five-month period from February to June to release the details.
The pharmacist lodged a complaint with the ACB unit in Bilaspur. Following a verification that confirmed the claim, the ACB laid a trap on 23 July 2026.
Dr Patel instructed the complainant to bring the money to his temporary residence in Dabhra. On reaching Dabhra, the complainant asked the accused to meet near the Dabhra College intersection. Around 9 pm, Dr Patel arrived at the spot and entered the complainant’s Scorpio vehicle to collect the cash.
The ACB team, positioned nearby, caught Dr Patel as soon as he accepted the bribe and recovered the full amount on the spot.
ACB officials have booked Dr Patel under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and legal proceedings are underway.
