The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Bilaspur on Monday arrested three officials of Sakti Janpad Panchayat after catching them red‑handed while accepting a ₹1 lakh bribe. The accused — Janpad CEO Nikhil Kashyap, assistant grade‑3 clerk Avinash Thakur and peon Lachhan Bhanu — allegedly demanded ₹2 lakh to release the next tranche of funds under the Prime Minister’s Adarsh Gram Yojana.

According to ACB officials, the case began with a complaint by Arun Kumar Bhardwaj of Limtara village. Arun told investigators that his mother, the village sarpanch, had received sanction for development works — including construction of a ghat and drains — worth ₹20 lakh. While a cheque for ₹8 lakh had already been issued, the remaining ₹12 lakh was pending.

Arun said that when he approached CEO Nikhil Kashyap and clerk Avinash Thakur for release of the balance cheque, both demanded ₹2 lakh to process it. He refused and lodged a complaint with ACB, Bilaspur, which launched an inquiry. Preliminary probe revealed that an advance of ₹1 lakh had already been taken via the office peon, the ACB said.

Acting on the complaint, ACB planned a trap on June 15. The complainant visited the Janpad office with the remaining ₹1 lakh, handed the cash to the peon as instructed, and ACB teams swooped in and arrested all three. The seized cash was recovered from the accused, officials said.

“The accused were caught accepting ₹1 lakh in furtherance of a demand of ₹2 lakh for issuing the sanction cheque,” an ACB officer said. Cases have been registered under sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), and legal proceedings are underway.

Local sources allege the CEO had directed the clerk to coordinate the transaction, and the clerk had in turn used the peon to collect money. The ACB statement said the agency will examine departmental records and communications to trace any larger nexus or recurring malpractice.

The detained officials were taken into custody and will be produced before court as the probe continues. “We will follow the evidence trail. No corrupt practice will be tolerated,” an ACB spokesperson told reporters, declining to share operational details pending further action.

The incident has stirred concern among panchayat members and villagers in Limtara, who said development work was being held up while officials allegedly levered their position to seek bribes. “Funds were sanctioned for basic public works. We hope ACB action ensures justice and the release of pending money,” said a resident who asked not to be named.

The arrests come amid increased scrutiny of local governance and public fund disbursement in Chhattisgarh. In recent months authorities have stepped up anti‑graft operations targeting irregularities in welfare and rural development schemes. Observers say such quick trap operations are intended to send a deterrent message to officials who exploit procedural delays to extract money.

The ACB has collected statements from the complainant and other witnesses and will also seek to verify records related to the PM Adarsh Gram Yojana sanction and cheque issuance. Further details, including exact departmental disciplinary steps against the accused, are awaited as the investigation progresses.