Bihar Minister Faces Corruption Allegations During Public Hearing

Patna, August 1: Shocking allegations of corruption emerged during a public hearing conducted by Bihar’s Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister, Lakhendra Kumar Roshan, also known as Lakhendra Paswan. A resident from Sitamarhi claimed that he was asked for a bribe of ₹50,000 to release pending grant funds under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Act.

The complainant, Kamlesh Paswan, informed the minister that this amount was being demanded for the disbursement of grant funds related to case number 129/26. Taking the complaint seriously, Minister Lakhendra Paswan instructed Kamlesh to immediately call the relevant data entry operator.

In the minister’s presence, the complainant made the call. During the conversation, the data entry operator allegedly reiterated the demand for ₹50,000, shocking the officials and attendees present at the hearing.

Following the alleged bribery demand, the minister promptly contacted the District Welfare Officer (DWO) of Sitamarhi to inquire about the identity of the concerned employee. The officer informed him that Chandan Kumar was working as a data entry operator in the department.

The minister directed the department official to suspend the employee immediately and initiate appropriate action. He also warned that if action was not taken within an hour, the relevant officer would face consequences.

Lakhendra Paswan emphasized that the Bihar government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and will not overlook allegations of bribery or irregularities involving government employees. He instructed officials to conduct a fair investigation and take departmental and legal action if the allegations are substantiated.

The minister assured complainant Kamlesh Paswan that his complaint would be investigated impartially. He stated that if Kamlesh is found eligible for the grant under applicable rules, the funds would be released without unnecessary delays.

An internal investigation has begun regarding the alleged bribery demand. However, as of this report, no response has been received from the accused data entry operator, Chandan Kumar. Therefore, it is essential to verify the allegations through departmental inquiry before assigning responsibility.