The Odisha Vigilance Department officials on Tuesday arrested two government officials for allegedly demanding and taking bribes in separate cases in the state, officials said.
The Vigilance officials arrested a revenue inspector while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from an applicant seeking a caste certificate, according to officials.
Suraj Bala, serving as the revenue inspector for the Jharapali circle in Malkangiri district, was caught while accepting the bribe amount to submit a verification report required for issuing a Scheduled Caste certificate for the complainant’s spouse, the Vigilance said in a statement.
The applicant had applied online, as per the rules prescribed by the government for issuing the caste certificate.
The accused official, however, deliberately stalled the process while demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the applicant. He asked the complainant to pay Rs 8,000 first and the remaining Rs 2,000 once the task was completed, it stated.
Distressed by the bribe demand and ongoing harassment, the complainant lodged a complaint with the Vigilance authorities.
Consequently, a case was registered at the Koraput Vigilance police station under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Notably, the same official had previously been caught accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 in a separate incident.
Similarly, the anti-corruption department officers arrested a child development project officer (CDPO) for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a vehicle owner to pass bills of two months.
Balasore Sadar CDPO Madhusmita Mohanty allegedly demanded the bribe from the complainant, who had engaged his vehicle on a rental basis in the CDPO’s office at Balasore Municipality, they said.
Meanwhile, a Vigilance court in Bhubaneswar convicted a former junior engineer of Odagaon block in Nayagada district in a bribery case, officials said.
Additional special judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment to Chita Ranjana Parida for demanding and taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a contractor for clearing a bill.
The Vigilance department will now move the competent authority for stoppage of Parida’s pension, they added.
Meanwhile, a Vigilance court in Bhubaneswar convicted a former junior engineer of Odagaon block in Nayagada district in a bribery case, officials said.
Additional special judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar awarded three years of rigorous imprisonment to Chita Ranjana Parida for demanding and taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a contractor for clearing the final bill.
The Vigilance department will now move the competent authority for stoppage of pension of Parida, they added.
