Anti-corruption sleuths detain doctor, pharmacist for taking bribe in Odisha’s Koraput

Anti-corruption vigilance officials on Friday detained a doctor and a pharmacist from a government hospital for accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a contractual nursing officer at Baipariguda in Odisha’s Koraput district.

The accused have been identified as Dr. Biswajit Bhuyan, the medical officer in-charge at Baipariguda Community Health Centre (CHC), and Uttaam Mahankuda, the pharmacist, officials said.

The two were trapped by vigilance sleuths following an allegation from the nursing officer, whose services had recently been regularised.

She was entitled to an arrear payment of approximately Rs 4,83,572 after the government ordered the release of differential financial benefits from October 2022 onward.

According to the complainant, despite repeated requests, Dr. Bhuyan demanded a 10 per cent bribe of the arrears amount in exchange for processing the payment. He allegedly refused to release the arrears until the bribe was paid and even threatened to transfer her to a remote location if she did not comply.

With no other option, the nursing officer approached the Vigilance authorities, who subsequently caught Dr. Bhuyan while accepting the bribe through the pharmacist, the anti-corruption wing stated in an official release.

The statement also mentioned that Dr. Bhuyan had previously faced multiple allegations of demanding bribes and misusing the CHC vehicle.

Simultaneous searches were carried out at three locations associated with Dr. Bhuyan and one location linked to Mahankuda, the pharmacist. A case has been registered against both under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, the vigilance authorities added.