Cuttack IIC arrested by Vigilance, Rs 5L cash recovered

In a major anti-corruption drive, the Odisha Vigilance Department on Sunday arrested a police officer on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000. The accused has been identified as Vijay Kumar Barik, the Inspector-in-Charge of Cuttack CRRI Police Station.

According to vigilance sources, Barik was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a licensed liquor trader. The arrest was made near Rajmahal Square in Bhubaneswar following a trap laid by the vigilance team based on a complaint received from the trader, who had accused the officer of demanding illegal gratification in connection with official work.

After the arrest, vigilance officials conducted a search operation at the government quarters of the accused located in Unit-1 area of Bhubaneswar. During the search, cash amounting to Rs 5 lakh was recovered and seized. The source of the recovered cash is currently under verification.

Vigilance officials stated that further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused officer had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Relevant documents and materials have also been seized for examination.

The arrest of a serving police officer has once again highlighted concerns over corruption within the system. The vigilance department reiterated its commitment to take strict action against corrupt practices and urged citizens to come forward and report such incidents.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings have been initiated against the accused under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.