Asha Kandara, once hailed as an inspiring figure for clearing the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) exam while working as a sweeper, now finds herself at the center of a corruption scandal. The Rajasthan Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Kandara after she was allegedly caught accepting a bribe. According to the ACB, she was apprehended near Jaitaran with Rs 1.75 lakh in cash, which she had reportedly taken in exchange for appointments as sweepers. Kandara, currently serving as the SDM in Heritage Nagar Nigam Jaipur, had been under investigation following a tip-off about her involvement in a bribery scheme.
On the night of the arrest, ACB sources revealed that Kandara had traveled from Jaipur to Pali, while her son transported the bribe money to Jaitaran. A broker named Yogendra Chaudhary was also present with Kandara, and both were staying at Hotel Sheetal in Jaitaran. The ACB team, led by Inspector Kanchan Bhati, raided the hotel and arrested Kandara with Rs 1.75 lakh in her possession. It is believed that the total bribe amount was set at Rs 3.5 lakh.
Kandara’s story initially drew widespread admiration. A single mother of two, she had been working as a sanitation worker at the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation when she took the RAS exam in 2018. Despite facing the challenges of raising her children alone after being abandoned by her husband 11 years ago, Asha pursued her education with the support of her parents. She managed to complete her graduation and, in 2021, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of the RAS exam were announced, marking her success.
Her father, Rajendra Kandara, also overcame hardships to pursue his education, eventually retiring as an accountant with the Food Corporation of India. Asha’s journey from a sanitation worker to a government officer had once been a symbol of perseverance and determination. However, her recent arrest casts a shadow over her achievements, as the investigation into the bribery scandal continues.
