Partially based on Inspector Amit Lodha’s book of 2018, Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught, a Netflix series was created. The seven-episode drama Khakee: The Bihar Chapter on the OTT platform Netflix has garnered attention and is being watched by all. But the Inspector General (IG) in the Bihar Police, Amit Lodha has been suspended for his alleged linkup with Netflix.

According to reports, in Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s government has filed a case of alleged corruption against him for “signing a commercial deal with Netflix while holding an official position.”

Seems like the 1998-batch IPS officer got into some real-life trouble for going into the limelight. The Bihar Cadre officer’s corruption charge indicates that he used his official position for personal financial profits.

But is it a simple case of misconduct and action? Or something more?

Let’s dig deep into the true story behind the Netflix series Khakee

The answers to a few questions lie in the past. From the 1990s to the mid-2000s, a reign of terror was established in Bihar’s Nawada, Sheikhpura, and Nalanda districts. The thugs responsible were Ashok Mahto and sharpshooter Pintu Mahto. The villain in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, Chandan Mahto (played by Avinash Tiwary) is allegedly based more on Pintu Mahto than his leader Ashok Mahto.

All these happened in Bihar during the Lalu Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi. Those years were referred to as jungle raj by many for the widespread scams, institutionalized corruption, and caste violence prevalent during that time.

The Mahtos belonged to the backward caste, Koeri/Kurmi and they were supported by the other backward castes in their fights against upper-caste Bhumihar gangster Akhilesh Singh.

The mishaps were mostly over sand mining and stone-crushing contracts that led to the deaths of hundreds in Nawada villages.

But there is a political twist in it, the war in Sheikhpura was actually between the Mahto gang and Bhumihar leader Rajo Singh, who looked down on Akhilesh Singh and the Congress MP.

Let’s focus on the greater picture here

• When nine RJD workers were shot dead in Sheikhpura in December 2001, Rajo Singh and his Congress MLA’s son Sanjay Singh were also accused in the case.
• Days later, during the jailbreak, Ashok Mahto and Pintu Mahto, escaped from Nawad jail. While fleeing they killed some cops. But in the Netflix series, it was shown that before killing the cops and escaping the jail the villain strangulates his upper-caste boss to death.
• Rajo Singh was shot dead in 2005 allegedly by the gang of Ashok Mahto as a payback for the killings of the RJD men in 2001.
• Lodha captured both Mahtos, first Pintu and then Ashok, in 2006.
• After being convicted in the 2001 case Sanjay Singh died of a heart attack soon in 2010. He was by then a former minister.

The intentional plot twist in the Netflix drama Khakee

To make the story more interesting and compelling, a few characters have been linked but the reality tells a different story. At the end of the Netflix Rajasthan-born Amit Lodha, played by Karan Tacker, arrests the villain.

The chase, parallel listening, and locational details that keep the audience’s adrenaline pumping have been taken from Pintu’s arrest in the reel plot.

In reality, Pintu Mahto was still Ashok’s assistant and not the most dreaded gangster.

Connections of caste

Just like Ashok Mahto and Pintu Mahto, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also comes from the same Koeri or Kurmi caste. Ashok Mahto after his arrest had reportedly mentioned his links with some JDU leaders in his confession to the police. It included Nitish Kumar, who became Bihar’s chief minister in 2005.

The names of a JDU MLA and Congress leader Ashok Chaudhary who is now a Bihar minister were also mentioned in the initial FIR. It was removed later on the plea of Rajo Singh’s grandson, who joined Nitish Kumar’s party.

The Netflix series, created by Neeraj Pandey was released at a time when Nitish Kumar has left the BJP once again and joined the RJD to run Bihar. The Mahto gang avenged the killing of several backward-caste people, including RJD workers. From that perspective, Ashok and Pintu Mahto become heroes.

But in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter the two has been depicted as villains as both were convicted for murdering Rajo Singh. Ashok was acquitted in 2013 and Pintu in 2022. This might have worried Bihar’s ruling dispersion and targeting Lodha seems to be the best excuse for them.

Kanhaiya Bhelari, Senior Bihar journalist, told India Today,

“Lodha hasn’t had a spotless image either, but the misconduct of many bureaucrats in Bihar has been ignored. But his was not. What has happened now has a clear caste connection. Showing the Mahtos as villains and criminals has certainly caused discomfort to many in the ruling dispensation.”

He also added,

“Unfortunately, Ashok Mahto was seen in many quarters as a hero. If the book and the Netflix series show him as a super villain, it’s bound to have reactions, especially given Bihar’s new political realities”

Another political aspect that explains the Lodha controversy is that after leaving BJP, Nitish Kumar joined RJD to restore the (backward caste) Mandal politics. This was told by NK Chaudhary, a watcher of Bihar’s socio-political dynamics. He said,

“He is more mindful of caste equations. The talk of rule violation by Lodha is an excuse. Caste is a major consideration for most actions the CM takes. Several erring officers have been shielded by this government but Lodha has not been spared and you know why”

Amit Lodha was never favored by the Bihar government

Lodha was only 25 when he was posted as Superintendent of Police in Nitish Kumar’s home district, Nalanda. There were reports of conflict during the Lalu-Rabri rule.

According to reports by India Today, a senior journalist in Patna, Deepak Mishra revealed that Lodha didn’t have a very good relationship with Nitish Kumar. Mishra said,

“Kumar, then opposed to Lalu, was a Union minister in the NDA government during that time and would often complain about poor hospitality by the Nalanda administration on coming home”

Lodha was the commandant of the yet-to-be-raised Bihar Military Police (BMP) when Nitish Kumar came to power in Bihar in 2005. It was a massive fall for Amit Lodha.

As shared during a 2018 TED Talk, the IIT Delhi graduate said that after the government changed in Bihar, he got downgraded to a post with no guards, bungalows or salary. His frustrations affected his family life. Just when he thought he would become Bihar’s police chief soon with postings such as Patna and Muzaffarpur, his downfall was unacceptable. He also described his temperament as a little cocky and too full of himself.

Things changed for Lodha when the villagers in the Sheikhpura-Nawada-Nalanda belt were killed in 2006. Nitish Kumar promised to institute the rule of law in 90 days after the massacre when he was completing six months in office.

The CM said,

“This is the result of a gang war, and it has nothing to do with caste. Those responsible for the killing will not be spared at any cost”

Amit Lodha was made SP in Sheikhpura and is still witnessed as one of the finest IPS officers in Bihar to end the terror of the Mahto gang. The district was recognized as one of the country’s 250 most-impoverished districts by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. After this, a series of media interviews were conducted, and the numbers surpassed Bihar’s standards.

Frustrating events followed Lodha

After the recognition Lodha received, he became a confident and flamboyant officer. He never backed out from speaking his mind. But the cold connections were to unfold soon. He got posted as Begusarai SP, Purnea SP, Railway SP, and DIG, Crime Investigation Department.

Disturbed Lodha requested the Bihar government to clear his application for central deputation. It eventually happened but after he joined the Border Security Force.

Amit Lodha book was released in 2018. The Bihar government now claims that it was published without permission.

In Bihar, he was made IG (Magadh Range) in January 2021 after he returned to the state by completing his central deputation. This is when Lodha collaborated with Netflix and made the alleged commercial deal. During this time his second book was also released.

Even though Lodha continued appearing in front of the media. Instances from Lodha’s book provoked concern in power circles. In his book, he commented on both Bihar’s bureaucracy and its politicians. The news of a film increased the commotion.

Amit Lodha’s suspension

The Bihar government removed Lodha from the post of IG (Magadh Range) in February 2022. He was sent to the Bihar Police Headquarters. Once again he was told to wait for his posting.

He was posted as IG of, the State Crime Records Bureau in May. The assignment was low-profile. The Bihar government was quick to launch investigations against him over the Netflix controversy.

Mishra said,

“Lodha was a bright IPS officer. He was awarded a few medals. He effectively used call observation techniques and a network of informers to track down criminals. The rescue of DPS student Aishwarya, son of a Patna businessman, from his kidnappers in 2004, also shown in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, and the arrest of Pintu Mahto himself in 2006 show the cop’s abilities”

Mishra has been reporting on the Bihar Police, gangsters, and massacres over decades. When it was about the action taken against Amit Lodha over the Netflix series, he said,

“Any other officer would have gotten away with it.”

So, the action taken by the Bihar Police did seem suspicious.

Nitish Kumar is known to bring cops from central deputation, for critical positions as he trusts and favors officers from a particular background. Many officers have fled for alleged misconduct. According to Mishra, the financial misconduct in Lodha’s case must be quite strong. Mishra added,

“But I’m not sure he suspended Lodha just because of his book and the Netflix series showing what the Mahto gang did in Bihar in those days. I think the evidence of financial misconduct in the current case is quite strong.”

This is what Amit Lodha has to say after the allegations

Lodha stated that he has done nothing wrong. He said,

“I have faith in myself and I have faith in the system,”

On his Twitter account, he wrote,

“Sometimes life can throw you the most difficult challenges, particularly when you are right. It’s during these times your strength of character is reflected. Need your prayers and support to come out victorious.”

Sometimes life can throw you the most difficult challenges, particularly when you are right. It’s during these times your strength of character is reflected. Need your prayers and support to come out victorious

— Amit Lodha (@Ipsamitlodha7) December 6, 2022

Seems like his last book (2021) —Life in the Uniform: Adventures of an IPS Officer in Bihar—still awaits a climax.