In a stark reminder of the growing rot of corruption in government offices, a woman employee posted at the District Magistrate’s office in Lucknow was caught red-handed on Saturday while taking a bribe. The accused, Chandramula Patel, was posted at the help desk of the pension section and was allegedly extorting money from a woman under the guise of pension verification.
According to reports received by Dynamite News, the victim had approached the DM office for routine pension verification. Patel allegedly demanded an illicit payment for clearing the verification process. Despite the woman’s willingness to pay the legal processing fees, the employee insisted on a bribe. When the woman refused, Patel allegedly threatened that her work would not be processed.
The victim then approached the anti-corruption team, which conducted a trap operation. Patel was caught accepting the bribe and has since been taken into custody.
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Multiple SBI Branches Under Patel’s Responsibility
It has come to light that Chandramula Patel holds a crucial position at the help desk, overseeing pension-related matters for senior citizens linked to multiple State Bank of India (SBI) branches across Lucknow. These include branches at Hussainganj, Jawahar Bhawan, Behta, Sabauli, Gomti Nagar, Mahanagar, Indiranagar, Ashok Marg, Khadra, Buddheshwar, Aliganj, Charbagh, Ismailganj, Jail Road, Saadatganj, Arjunganj, LDA Colony, Engineering College, AP Sen Road, and Utrethia.
The extent of her involvement and whether similar illegal demands were made of other pensioners is now under investigation. The anti-corruption team is expected to review her past records and may expand the probe if other complaints surface.
This incident has raised serious questions about the integrity of pension processing mechanisms, particularly for vulnerable citizens like the elderly, who depend on these benefits for survival.
Corruption Not Isolated to Lucknow: Fresh Case in Badaun
While the Lucknow incident has sent shockwaves through the administrative corridors, it is not an isolated case. On Friday, the anti-corruption unit caught a revenue accountant posted in Bilsi tehsil of Badaun district while accepting a bribe of ₹5,000. A formal case has been registered against the official, further exposing the systemic spread of bribery within the government framework in Uttar Pradesh.
These back-to-back cases point to a worrying pattern—where public-facing employees are exploiting their positions to solicit illegal payments from citizens seeking basic entitlements.
