Patna, Advocate Suman Kumari, Legal Correspondent, June 5th 2026: A Special Vigilance Court in Patna has convicted a former Junior Engineer of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Mokama, Patna district, in a corruption case involving the acceptance of a bribe from a complainant.
The judgment was pronounced on June 5, 2026, by Justice Atul Kumar Singh, Presiding Judge of the Special Vigilance Court, Patna, in Vigilance Police Station Case No. 35/2016 (Special Case No. 19/2016).
The convicted official, Dharanidhar Rai, was found guilty under Sections 7 and 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The judgment was delivered on June 5, 2026, by the Special Vigilance Court, Patna, in Vigilance Police Station Case No. 35/2016 (Special Case No. 19/2016).
According to the prosecution, Rai had demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 from complainant Mohammad Taqi Anwar, a resident of Nalanda district, for forwarding measurement books and related documents to the accounts section. During a trap operation conducted by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau on April 2, 2016, Rai was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting ₹5,000 as part of the demanded bribe.
The investigation was conducted by then Vigilance Inspector Ravindra Prasad Singh, who filed the charge sheet following the completion of the inquiry. During the trial, the prosecution examined ten witnesses in support of its case. The matter was effectively prosecuted by Kishore Kumar Singh, In-Charge Special Public Prosecutor (Vigilance).
Sentence Awarded
The court sentenced the convict to:
- Three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- Four years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Act.
In default of payment of the fine, the convict will undergo an additional four months of simple imprisonment. Both sentences will run concurrently.
The Vigilance Investigation Bureau stated that this is the ninth conviction secured in corruption cases in Bihar during 2026, reflecting the agency’s continuing efforts to prosecute public servants accused of corruption.
