The Odisha Vigilance apprehended an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police and a Home Guard driver from Mancheswar Police Station in Bhubaneswar. The officers, identified as Rajesh Kullu and Jyoti Ranjan Behera, were accused of accepting a bribe to assist a person in a case and return his two mobile phones.
ASI Kullu, who was handling the complainant’s case, allegedly solicited money to aid the complainant and retrieve his mobile phones. He had previously taken Rs 80,000 in two installments from the complainant for this purpose. On June 17, 2026, Kullu demanded an additional Rs 20,000 for the return of the phones, instructing the complainant to pay this amount to Home Guard driver Behera.
The Vigilance team, acting on a complaint, set up a trap on Wednesday. Behera, as per instructions from Kullu, accepted the Rs 20,000 bribe. Upon the arrival of the Vigilance team, Behera discarded the money in nearby bushes and attempted to flee with Kullu. However, both were apprehended after a pursuit.
A case has been filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and investigations are ongoing. ASI Kullu has been immediately dismissed from service for allegedly demanding and receiving a bribe. Additionally, two Home Guards, Jyotiranjan Behera and Abdul Sarfaraj Khan, have been issued termination notices for their involvement in the incident.
