2 govt engineers under Odisha Vigilance scanner for accepting Rs 60,000 bribe

Odisha Vigilance wing arrested two engineers of Udala Lift Irrigation Division in Mayurbhanj district, while they were allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000 from a local contractor on Monday. The action was taken as part of a trap operation conducted by Vigilance sleuths.

Also Read: Odisha Vigilance creates history, breaks 20-year record

According to sources, the arrested officials are Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Harekrushna Singh and Junior Engineer (JE) Subrat Mohanty. They were demanding and accepting bribe money from a contractor in exchange for clearing bills worth around Rs 42 lakh related to irrigation project works.

The vigilance team caught both engineers red-handed while receiving the bribe amount. Following the arrest, further legal procedures were initiated, and searches were conducted to verify if the officials were involved in similar corrupt practices earlier.

The incident once again highlighted the Vigilance wing’s ongoing efforts to curb corruption in government offices and ensure transparency in public works. The arrest has triggered discussion in the region, with demands for strict action against corrupt officials.

However, no comments were received from the Vigilance officials in this regard.

Worth mentioning, Odisha Vigilance wing has created history by breaking a two-decade-old record, marking a significant milestone in the fight against corruption in the State, official sources said on January 2 this year.

Guided by the Chief Minister’s policy of ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption, the Vigilance wing has shifted into full action mode, intensifying its crackdown on corrupt practices across the State.

Between April and December 2025, the State government directed the anti-corruption agency to investigate as many as 125 cases, an unprecedented figure and a record in itself.

This remarkable achievement reflects the government’s renewed commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in public administration.