Auraiya SDM suspended after CCTVfootage shows him accepting bribe | Lucknow News
Lucknow: The state govt on Thursday suspended sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Auraiya Sadar Tehsil after he was captured on CCTV allegedly accepting bribe inside his office earlier this week.The footage showed Rakesh Kumar Singh discreetly pocketing a white envelope placed inside the drawer of his desk by a mandi secretary.Auraiya district magistrate (DM) Indramani Tripathi took swift action after the visuals came to light and ordered an immediate inquiry, assigning the investigation to additional district magistrate (ADM) Avinash Chandra Maurya. Pending the probe, Singh was relieved of his post and attached to the revenue board office in Lucknow. Ajay Anand Verma has replaced him as the new SDM of Sadar Tehsil.According to officials, the footage revealed that Singh was seated in his chamber and having a conversation with mandi secretary Harvilas Yadav. After a brief exchange, Yadav was seen placing a white envelope in the drawer of the SDM’s desk.Moments later, as the SDM asked a peon to switch off the air-conditioner he retrieved the envelope from the drawer and slipped it into his trouser pocket. The entire episode was recorded on the CCTV camera installed in the office.This is not the first time Singh found himself in the spotlight for questionable conduct. He allegedly held court sessions and issued orders even on holidays. Before being posted in Auraiya, Singh served in Amethi district’s Gauriganj Tehsil. From Oct 2023 to Jan 2024, he was SDM in Ajitmal, where he frequently clashed with lawyers, leading to protests and demonstrations against his style of functioning. On 27 Jan 2024, he was transferred to Auraiya Sadar, a position he held until his suspension on August 18, 2025.
