Bihar News : In a major anti-corruption operation, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) on Saturday arrested the General Manager (GM) of the District Industries Centre (DIC), Anil Kumar Mandal, while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 in Araria.
The raid was conducted at Mandal’s rented residence in Shivpuri, where the vigilance team reportedly caught him red-handed. According to officials, after receiving the cash from a machinery supplier, the GM kept the money inside an almirah before the team entered the house and recovered the amount.
Bribe Allegedly Sought for Clearing ₹17 Lakh Payment
The case relates to the release of payment for machinery supplied to the District Industries Centre. According to the Vigilance Bureau, the complainant, Kamre Alam, a machinery supplier from Bangama, alleged that Mandal demanded a 5% commission to clear a pending payment of around ₹17 lakh.
The total alleged demand was ₹85,000. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the supplier approached the Vigilance Investigation Bureau in Patna and lodged a complaint.
Trap Laid After Verification
Following the complaint, the bureau verified the allegations and found them to be prima facie true. A case was registered at the Vigilance Police Station on August 7, after which a special trap team was constituted.
As part of the operation, the complainant visited the GM’s residence with the first instalment of ₹50,000. The vigilance team immediately moved in after the money was accepted and arrested the official.
Arrest Shortly After Reposting
Anil Kumar Mandal had earlier served as the General Manager of the Araria District Industries Centre from 2018 to 2022. He was reposted to the district on June 26 this year, barely six weeks before his arrest.
Following the operation, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau took Mandal into custody and transported him to Patna. Further legal proceedings are underway.
