The Odisha Vigilance Department on Monday arrested a Motor Vehicle (MV) department traffic inspector red-handed while demanding and receiving a Rs 20,000 bribe from a truck owner in Sundargarh district, officials said.
Vigilance sleuths conducted a trap and caught the traffic inspector accepting the bribe from the truck owner. The bribe was allegedly demanded as a monthly quota to allow two of the victim’s commercial trucks to run unhindered across the inspector’s jurisdiction for the previous two months (June and July), an investigating officer stated.
“Today, Mukesh Kr Mishra, Traffic Inspector (OMVD), O/o. RTO, #Sundargada was apprehended by #Odisha #Vigilance while taking bribe of Rs.20,000/- from a truck owner to allow him to operate his transport business smoothly. Further cash Rs 14.33 Lakhs recovered during house search,” the Vigilance said in a post on X.
Refusing to pay the demanded amount, the truck owner approached the vigilance authorities and lodged a formal complaint. Officers recovered the full bribe amount directly from the possession of the accused and subsequently registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act at the Rourkela Vigilance Police Station, the official added.
Following the successful trap, simultaneous search operations were launched across three locations associated with the traffic inspector. During the raids, vigilance personnel unearthed Rs 14.33 lakh in unaccounted cash from the traffic inspector’s rented accommodation in Sundargarh, the officer added, noting that further investigation into the matter is underway.
