Corruption Sting Unveils Bribery in Madhya Pradesh's Bureaucracy

A driver of a sub-divisional magistrate in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, was caught accepting a Rs 1.5 lakh bribe for settling a paddy storage issue. The SDM allegedly demanded Rs 3 lakh through her driver. Following this, the SDM was transferred, and her driver suspended.

The shadows of corruption continued to cast a veil over Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district as a bribery scandal unfolded this week. A key player in this drama was the driver of a prominent sub-divisional magistrate, who was apprehended while allegedly accepting a bribe amounting to Rs 1.5 lakh.

The incident spotlighted the ordeal of a local farmer, Sangram Singh, who claimed that the bribe was an offshoot of coercive demands made by the woman SDM herself. The original demand was reportedly Rs 3 lakh, intended to resolve issues tied to the contentious storage of paddy.

This bribery incident led to the immediate transfer of Shahpura's SDM, Nadeema Shiri, and the suspension of the implicated driver, intensifying scrutiny upon local governance. This revelation underscores systemic issues within the administrative machinery, prompting calls for a transparent investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)