Two Odisha agriculture dept officials under Vigilance scanner for ‘taking bribe’

Odisha Vigilance sleuths caught red-handed two officials from Agriculture Department while allegedly accepting a bribe on Sunday in Umerkote in Nabarangpur district.

Also Read: Medical supervisor caught in Vigilance net while accepting bribe in Kalahandi

According to sources, an assistant agriculture officer (AAO) identified as Nilakantha Parida and a block technology manager (BTM) identified as Surendra Singh Bundela were detained while they were allegedly receiving Rs 5,000 from a farmer. 

The bribe was reportedly to facilitate a subsidy through Jalanidhi scheme in a farmer’s favour towards digging of borewell in his farmland. After the farmer complained about it to Vigilance Department in Nabarangpur, the sleuths laid a trap leading to the seizure of bribe money and arrests as well. The entire tainted bribe money has been recovered and seized from their possession, said sources.

The Vigilance team comprised 15 officials led by DSP Jayashree Pradhan.

Searches conducted following arrests

Following arrests, Vigilance sleuths conducted thorough searches at the officials’ houses, investigating three properties linked to Parida and two associated with Bundela. Allegedly, the officials amassed properties disproportionate to their legal sources of income.

Till the last report came in, simultaneous searches were underway by the Vigilance sleuths.

In this connection, a Koraput Vigilance PS case (No-5, Dated 22.02.2025, U/s 7/12 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018) has been registered. A detailed investigation is in progress against both the accused persons namely AAO Parida and BTM Bundela, said sources.

Must Read: Deputy Collector arrested for taking Rs 50k bribe in Odisha

Worth mentioning, earlier in another incident, a medical supervisor in Kalahandi district was caught red-handed on January 2, 2025, and was detained on allegations of accepting a bribe amounting to Rs 4,000 in return for providing a birth certificate to an applicant.

Reported By: Santosh Satapathy