Odisha Vigilance arrests Keonjhar DSSO on charges of accepting Rs 20,000 bribe via UPI

Odisha Vigilance on Thursday arrested Biplab Keshari Samantaray, District Social Security Officer (DSSO), Keonjhar, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from an NGO through digital mode. He is scheduled to be forwarded to the court today.

According to Vigilance sources, complaints against Samantaray were received from multiple quarters, alleging that he was collecting bribes from NGOs and individuals in connection with the execution of agreements, release of grants-in-aid, and payment of bills under various government Social Security Schemes.

Preliminary scrutiny revealed that Samantaray allegedly received multiple payments from different NGOs and individuals through his UPI account, as well as accounts of his family members, relatives, and office staff. Investigations into these transactions are currently underway.

Also Read: Odisha Vigilance nabs CT & GST officer while taking Rs 12,000 bribe

In light of these allegations, the Vigilance Cell Division registered PS Case No. 11/2025 against him under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Following his arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at three locations associated with Samantaray, focusing on unexplained assets. 

During the search, Vigilance officials unearthed 10 plots in and around Bhubaneswar registered in the name of Samantaray and his family members. Additionally, a three-storey building measuring approximately 3,000 sqft in Bhubaneswar, a simplex house in Madanpur, and a farmhouse spanning three acres in Madanpur were also discovered.

The investigation is ongoing, and the Vigilance department is verifying the details of all assets and transactions linked to Samantaray and associated parties.