Gram Panchayat Secretary Arrested For Accepting 1 Lakh Bribe, Caught Red-Handed By Vigilance Team

Mathura: Demanding a commission in exchange for clearing pending payments for development work has landed a Gram Panchayat secretary from the Ading village of the Govardhan development block in trouble. The Agra Vigilance Establishment's trap team arrested Gram Panchayat secretary Manish Bhandari red-handed on Friday while allegedly accepting a bribe of 1 lakh. The secretary is accused of demanding a 30% commission from a contractor in return for clearing pending payments. Following the vigilance action, the District Panchayat Raj Officer (DPRO) suspended the accused secretary.

30 Lakh Contractor Payment Pending for Development Work

Various development projects, including cement concrete (CC) roads, drains, interlocking roads, and park construction, were carried out in Gram Panchayat Ading during 2023, 2024, and 2025. Approximately 2 crore was spent on these projects. However, around 30 lakh in payments to contractor Parvez Ahmed remained pending. The secretary, Manish Bhandari, allegedly demanded a 30% commission to facilitate the payment. As per the alleged arrangement, ₹1 lakh was to be paid in advance, while the remaining 8 lakh was to be given after the pending payment was cleared.

Contractor Files Complaint, Vigilance Team Sets Up Trap

Troubled by the secretary's alleged demand, contractor Parvez Ahmed submitted a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Establishment, Agra Sector. After receiving the complaint, the vigilance team conducted a confidential investigation. Once the allegations were confirmed during the preliminary inquiry, the trap team planned an operation on Friday. As per the arrangement, the contractor handed over 1 lakh to the Gram Panchayat secretary, following which the vigilance team caught him red-handed.

Case Registered, Secretary Suspended After Arrest

Following the arrest, the vigilance team took the accused secretary into custody. A case has been registered against him at the Agra police station of the Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Establishment under relevant sections related to corruption. Meanwhile, after receiving information about the incident, the DPRO suspended the Gram Panchayat secretary. The vigilance action has created a stir within the department, raising concerns over alleged corruption and commission demands in development projects.