In a major anti-corruption operation in Madhya Pradesh, the Rewa Lokayukta police caught a patwari red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 in connection with a land demarcation dispute. The accused official was trapped during a coordinated operation conducted in the Nirala Nagar area of Rewa on Friday.

Officials said the accused had allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 15,000 from a farmer to maintain the existing land boundary in a disputed property matter. The action was carried out under the directions of Lokayukta Director General Yogesh Deshmukh and under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General Manoj Singh.

Complaint Filed Earlier

According to officials from the Lokayukta office in Rewa, complainant Kamlesh Patel, a resident of Khajua Kala village in Gudh tehsil, submitted a written complaint on May 13, 2026. In his complaint, Patel alleged that Halka Patwari Manoj Pandey demanded money in exchange for favouring his family in an ongoing land demarcation matter. The complainant stated that the official assured him that the existing land boundary would remain unchanged if the demanded amount was paid. The case quickly moved into verification after the complaint was formally registered by the anti-corruption agency.

Rs 10,000 Already Paid

During the verification process, Lokayukta officials found that the accused had allegedly already accepted Rs 10,000 from the complainant before demanding the remaining amount. Officials said the patwari continued pressuring the complainant to pay the balance Rs 5,000. Following confirmation of the allegations, a trap team was constituted under the guidance of senior Lokayukta officers. The operation was planned after investigators monitored the communication and payment arrangements linked to the complaint.

Trap Conducted In Rewa

The Lokayukta team carried out the trap operation on May 16, 2026, in the Rajiv Marg area near Nirala Nagar in Rewa city. According to officials, the accused patwari was caught while allegedly accepting the remaining Rs 5,000 from the complainant. The team immediately detained him and completed legal formalities at the spot. The accused has been identified as Manoj Pandey, son of P.N. Pandey, aged 52 years, a resident of Ward No. 9, Rajiv Marg, Nirala Nagar. He was currently posted in the Khajua Kala halka area.

Case Registered Against Accused

Lokayukta officials confirmed that a case has been registered against the accused under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, amended in 2018. Authorities said further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused was involved in similar corruption-related activities in other cases. Officials also indicated that financial and departmental records connected to the patwari’s postings may be examined during the investigation process.

Team Led By DSP

The anti-corruption operation was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Praveen Singh Parihar. Inspector Sandeep Singh Bhadauria, independent government witnesses and a 12-member Lokayukta team participated in the trap proceedings. Lokayukta authorities said the action was part of ongoing efforts to curb corruption in revenue and administrative departments across the region. Officials maintained that strict action would continue against government employees found demanding illegal payments from citizens.

Public Asked To Report Corruption

Following the operation, the Lokayukta organisation appealed to citizens to report any instance of bribery or corruption involving government officials. The department stated that complaints related to illegal demands by public servants can be submitted directly at the Lokayukta office in Rewa. Officials assured that complainants’ identities would be protected during investigations.

Anti-Corruption Drive Continues

The latest trap case has once again highlighted concerns regarding corruption in local revenue administration. Cases involving patwaris and land-related disputes frequently attract public attention due to their direct impact on farmers and property owners.

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