Bhubaneswar, Nov 14: A Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA) posted in Morada Block of Mayurbhanj district was caught red-handed by Odisha Vigilance on Friday while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹2,000 from a retired Panchayat official. The accused officer, identified as Partha Sarathi Chel, had reportedly demanded the money to process arrear salary dues of the complainant, who retired in February 2023.

According to the Vigilance Directorate, Chel had been deliberately delaying the file related to the complainant’s arrear drawal, despite multiple follow-ups. Frustrated by the continued harassment, the complainant approached Odisha Vigilance, leading to the formation of a trap team.

During the operation, Vigilance officials caught Chel receiving the bribe inside his office. In a desperate attempt to evade arrest, he allegedly threw the tainted currency into a dustbin, but the team quickly recovered the full amount and secured the entire scene as evidence.

Following the trap, Vigilance teams launched simultaneous searches at two locations linked to the accused officer to verify whether he possesses assets disproportionate to his known income. The Balasore Vigilance Division has registered a case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation into the matter is underway.

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