Lucknow: Yet another case of corruption has surfaced in the Uttar Pradesh capital. A female employee posted at the Lucknow Collectorate was caught red-handed accepting a bribe. The arrest was made on Saturday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) during a planned operation.
The accused has been identified as Chandramala Patel, who was working at the help desk in the pension section of the District Magistrate’s office. She is alleged to have demanded a bribe from a woman in exchange for verifying her pension documents.
The Operation
According to officials, the complainant approached the ACB after Chandramala allegedly insisted on an illegal payment to process her pension verification. Following the complaint, the ACB set up a trap to catch her in the act.
The bureau closely monitored the situation and moved in immediately once Chandramala accepted the bribe. She was arrested on the spot and taken into custody for further interrogation.
“No Work Without Money”
As per sources, the woman had submitted all required documents and was willing to pay the legitimate processing fees. However, Chandramala reportedly demanded an additional bribe, stating bluntly that “nothing will move forward without money.”
Wider Role and Investigation
Officials revealed that Chandramala was responsible for pension verification for multiple branches of the State Bank of India across the state. These included branches in Gomti Nagar, Mahanagar, Indiranagar, Aliganj, Charbagh, Husainganj, Jawahar Bhawan, LDA Colony, Engineering College, Jail Road, and other locations.
The ACB has registered a formal case against the accused under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Legal proceedings are currently underway.
