Lokayukta’s trap nets Development Block Education Officer with Rs 10,000 bribe in Jhabua

Earlier this week, the Lokayukta of Madhya Pradesh conducted a covert operation in Jhabua district targeting corruption in the education department. The sting was triggered by a formal complaint lodged by Dhruv Singh Singhad, the principal of Balak Chhatravas Semlaya Badi, who alleged that the Development Block Education Officer, Janardhan Bairagi, was demanding a cash payment to clear pending administrative matters.

During the operation, Bairagi was recorded accepting a sum of Rs 10,000 from an undercover operative posing as a petitioner. The Lokayukta team immediately detained him and seized the cash, confirming the allegation of bribery.

The incident underscores the state’s renewed focus on curbing petty corruption in public offices, especially within the education sector. Lokayukta officials said further inquiries will be launched to determine whether the offence is isolated or part of a wider pattern, and appropriate legal action will be pursued under the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Act.

The education department has been instructed to cooperate fully with the investigation and to review internal controls to prevent similar incidents in the future.