Raipur
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Sohan Lal Bhagat, an Agriculture Development Officer and Seed Inspector, while he was accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh on Sunday, 12 April 2026.
The complainant, Ajeet Kumar Kashyap, a resident of Pratappur (Surajpur district), works as an Area Sales Manager for Sai Bhavy Seeds, a Hyderabad-based company dealing in paddy and maize seeds. After the August sales period, the company stored its remaining stock at Maa Mahamaya Cold Storage on Darima Road, Ambikapur.
Bhagat allegedly discovered the stored seeds and threatened to take unilateral action by falsely accusing the company of illegal seed storage. He demanded a bribe of ₹3 lakh to avoid taking action.
Unwilling to pay, Kashyap reported the matter to the ACB Ambikapur. After verification of the complaint, officials laid a trap operation and caught Bhagat red-handed while accepting the first installment of ₹1 lakh.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018), and further investigation is underway.
