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A major case of bribery has come to light in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh. On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a bank officer from the Central Bank of India’s Bangra Bazaar branch red-handed while he was taking a bribe. The officer, identified as Prince Kumar Jha, was caught accepting ₹15,000 in cash as illegal payment.
According to officials, the CBI’s anti-corruption team had received a complaint about the officer demanding a bribe in exchange for clearing a government-backed Mudra loan application. Based on this information, a team was sent to Deoria, where they conducted a planned operation and caught the accused in the act.
Complaint by Local Businessman Led to Action
The incident came to light after Meraj Alam, a local resident and businessman from Bangra Bazaar, filed a written complaint with the CBI. He stated that a Mudra loan of ₹5 lakh had been approved for his brother’s firm, Zakir Hussain Ansari and Meraj Alam Vastralaya.
When Meraj went to the Central Bank of India branch on May 5 to collect the loan amount, officer Prince Kumar Jha allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹20,000 for processing the loan disbursement.
CBI Laid Trap After Verification
After receiving the complaint, the CBI conducted a preliminary investigation to verify the facts. Once the allegations were confirmed, a trap was set. On Friday afternoon, the CBI team caught Prince Kumar outside the bank premises while he was taking a bribe of ₹15,000.
Along with the arrest, the CBI also conducted raids at the officer’s residence and other locations linked to him. These searches were part of a broader investigation into potential corruption and misuse of official position.
Court Proceedings and Next Steps
After the arrest, the accused was taken into custody and will be presented before the CBI special court in Lucknow on Saturday. Further investigation is underway to find out if there are other people involved in the bribery or if more such incidents have occurred at the bank branch.
What Is a Mudra Loan?
A Mudra loan is a government scheme that offers financial assistance to small and micro businesses. It is part of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) and is meant to support self-employment and entrepreneurship. These loans are typically given without collateral, making them attractive for small traders and shopkeepers.
Unfortunately, some officials misuse their authority by demanding bribes to release such loans, which are meant to help the common people. The CBI’s action in this case is a strong step toward stopping corruption in banking services.
