Odisha Vigilance Department on Thursday arrested Surendra Kumar Dash, a Revenue Inspector (RI) of the Tusar circle under Athmallik Tahasil in Angul district, for demanding and accepting a bribe from a landowner.
The arrest took place inside the RI office campus at Kiakata in Angul district.
Earlier in November last year, a local landowner applied for the formal demarcation of his property. According to Vigilance officials, when the complainant followed up on his application on January 5, Dash allegedly demanded a total of Rs 10,000 to process and clear the file.
The landowner initially paid a first installment of Rs 2,000. Following negotiations, as the landowner expressed his inability to pay the full amount, the RI reportedly agreed to a reduced final settlement.
Unwilling to pay the remaining amount, the landowner approached the anti-corruption wing. Acting on the complaint, Vigilance officers laid a trap on Thursday. Dash was apprehended the moment he accepted Rs 6,000—the second and final installment of the bribe.
“The entire bribe amount has been recovered from the accused and seized,” a Vigilance officer said.
The Cuttack Vigilance Police Station has registered a case against Dash under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at properties associated with the RI to check for further evidence of disproportionate assets.
