The vigilance sleuths arrested Kishore Chandra Swain, a laboratory technician at the blood bank near the cancer ward of SCB Medical college and hospital in Cuttack on charges of demanding and accepting bribe to provide blood for a patient, on Tuesday.
Vigilance sources said that Swain had demanded Rs 5,000 from a patient’s relative to provide him two units of blood of A+ve group.
Acting on the complaint, the anti-corruption wing laid a trap and apprehended Swain while he was accepting the bribe from the complainant on Monday, sources said adding that he was put under formal arrest on Tuesday.
Subsequently, the sleuths carried out simultaneous searches at Swain’s house in Chandini Chowk and at his native place in Govindpur.
“He (Swain) called me at least 10 times on Monday evening demanding the bribe. I brought the matter to the notice of the Vigilance. A woman officer in plain cloth accompanied me when I went to meet Swain. The officer nabbed him when he accepted the bribe amount,” said Umakanta Khuntia, the complainant.
“Demanding bribe for blood is really unfortunate. Swain had previously demanded and taken money from the complainant to provide blood. He had asked Khuntia to give him Rs 5000 for two units of blood. Unable to arrange money, Khuntia approached us and immediate action was taken against the lab technician. He will be forwarded to court today,” said Akshya Mishra, vigilance SP.