Collector’s intervention halts corrupt tender, triggers money‑return feud

A planned scheme to manipulate a municipal tender in Bilaspur unraveled after the district collector, Avnish Kumar Sharan, stepped in. The tender, allegedly rigged to favor Ganesh Traders, was cancelled following the collector’s directive to halt all irregular procurement activities.

The cancellation sparked immediate retaliation from the firm’s representatives, who pressed for the refund of the ₹1.15 crore they had already paid to secure the contract. The pressure fell heavily on Rajesh Devangan, the former property officer who had orchestrated the deal, forcing him to disclose the involvement of mayor Ramsharan Yadav and his associate Mukesh Pathak.

The fallout exposed a chain of covert payments and highlighted the role of political patronage in municipal contracts. The incident also prompted a swift response from the municipal commissioner, who suspended Devangan pending a detailed inquiry.

Social media amplified the scandal when a video of Devangan acknowledging the bribe went viral, prompting him to file a written complaint with the Superintendent of Police. He called for a transparent investigation and urged law‑enforcement agencies to take decisive action against the individuals implicated in the scheme.