Rajasthan officials to face trial for corruption charges

Jaipur: Seven government officials in Rajasthan are facing trial after the state’s Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal Sharma, approved action under the Prevention of Corruption Act. This includes two Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) officers and one Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer. The RPS officers are Aas Mohammad and Satyapal Midhha, who are accused of taking bribes. The RAS officer, Bherulal Verma, faces charges for misusing his position. Other officials involved are Shakti Singh Hapaavat and Sudha Yadav from the women and child development department, both accused of misuse of office. Abhay Dhakad and Gokul Prasad Vishwakarma from the agriculture department are also under scrutiny for bribery. The allegations against these officials originate from complaints filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) between 2019 and 2023. One case involves Aas Mohammad, who was accused in February 2019 of receiving a bribe of nearly Rs 1 lakh through a middleman. Satyapal Midhha was charged in July 2021 for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore related to a cooperative society. In addition to these criminal cases, the Chief Minister has taken disciplinary measures against six other officials. Their offenses include delaying a retired officer's pension and suspending salary increments for active officers.