In a significant development, the Odisha Vigilance apprehended two engineers in Mayurbhanj district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000 from a contractor. The accused engineers, Harekrushna Singh and Subrat Mohanty, were identified as working in the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation Ltd., Udala Sub-Division.
The vigilance authorities disclosed that the engineers were caught accepting a bribe installment from the contractor to release pending bills for completed projects. The accused demanded Rs 1.10 lakh bribe, withholding bills amounting to about Rs 5 lakh and the security deposit. The contractor, facing harassment, reported the matter to the Vigilance authorities.
Responding to the complaint, the anti-corruption team conducted a trap operation and arrested the engineers while they were receiving the bribe at the OLIC Ltd., Division office in Baripada. The entire bribe amount of Rs 60,000 was seized in the presence of witnesses. Subsequent searches were carried out at the engineers’ residences and offices, leading to the recovery of Rs 1.80 lakhs from Singh’s house in Khunta, Balasore.
A senior Inspector of Odisha police was also arrested by the vigilance officials on corruption charges for accepting a bribe from a licensed liquor vendor to facilitate his business operations.
