Panchayat officer suspended for demanding bribe in UP's Ballia

A village development officer was suspended after a video of him demanding bribes surfaced on social media, a senior official said on Wednesday.

A video of Village Development Officer Ram Bhuvan Prasad, posted in Hathaudi Gram Panchayat of Chilkahar Kshetra Panchayat, had surfaced online on Friday. The video purportedly showed Prasad asking for a bribe of Rs 50,000 for giving some documents, District Development Officer Rajit Ram Mishra said.

Prasad was suspended on Tuesday with immediate effect, he said.

Praveen Jeet, BDO Rasda, has been made the inquiry officer of this case, he said.

Mishra said that Prasad has been attached to the Bansdih Kshetra Panchayat for further disciplinary action.