Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, September 21
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has built an image of having “zero tolerance” on corruption, is facing a severe dent to his reputation, with three senior cabinet colleagues accused of corrupt practices by Jan Suraj Party supremo Prashant Kishor.
Prashant Kishor, once Nitish Kumar’s most trusted advisor and a former vice president of the Janata Dal (U) who enjoyed cabinet-rank status, alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary had committed fraud in his educational qualifications. Producing a document from the Bihar School Examination Board, Kishor claimed: “Samrat had failed in the matriculation examination but has claimed to be a DLitt from California.”
The senior JD(U) leader and Rural Development Minister, Ashok Kumar Chaudhary, has also been charged with amassing wealth beyond known sources of income. Kishor described Ashok as the “most corrupt (bhrashttam) minister” and alleged that in the last two years he purchased land worth ₹200 crore at different locations. He compared the minister to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is facing trial in the land-for-railway-jobs case, and claimed that Ashok had purchased a plot at Vikram, on the outskirts of Patna, for ₹35 lakh in the name of his personal assistant, later transferring it to his daughter for ₹10 lakh. Kishor added that after the Income Tax Department issued a notice, the minister was compelled to pay an additional ₹25 lakh to the treasury on April 25, 2025.
Health Minister Mangal Pandey too, according to Kishor, was involved in corrupt practices. He alleged that during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pandey purchased a flat in New Delhi for ₹4.50 crore, claiming he had borrowed ₹10 lakh from the then state party president. Kishor further alleged that Mrs. Pandey, a homemaker, had ₹2.24 crore deposited in her bank account at the time, and released the bank statement to support his charge.
For the first time in his two decades as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar’s credibility on the “zero tolerance on corruption” plank has been openly challenged. JD(U) principal spokesman Neeraj Kumar on Sunday said, “It is an agni pariksha for Nitish Kumar, as there is now a severe dent in his image.” He asked the ministers concerned to explain their role, recalling that in 2017 Nitish had sought an explanation from then deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav after the Enforcement Directorate raided his residence over a land deal linked to Bihar’s biggest mall. When Tejashwi failed to respond, Nitish withdrew from the alliance with the RJD.
Nitish has previously acted swiftly against tainted colleagues. Since 2005, he has removed several ministers soon after allegations surfaced: Jeetan Ram Manjhi was dropped within a day of being sworn in, Ram Narain Singh was ousted within two days after a vigilance inquiry found irregularities, and Kartikeya Singh was removed within a week. In the past, senior ministers like Lallan Singh and P.K. Shahi were dismissed by the Governor on the recommendation of Nitish Kumar himself.
Bihar also has a history of corruption allegations at the cabinet level. In the 1970s, then Governor R.D. Bhandare had openly alleged that three ministers in Abdul Gafoor’s cabinet were corrupt. Two judicial inquiry commissions—Justice Aiyar Commission and Justice Mudholkar Commission—were set up to probe corruption charges against ministers. Five Congress ministers in K.B. Sahay’s government, and later seven ministers in Mahamaya Prasad Sinha’s ministry, came under scrutiny.
