OAS officer arrested on graft charge

Baripada: The anti-corruption vigilance sleuths today arrested an Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer on graft charge.

The officer identified as Sabita Sahoo was working as Tahasildar under Shamakhunta block in the tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district, was arrested under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 said Vigilance DSP Radhakrushna Kanungo.

Kanungo said a case was registered against the woman OAS officer yesterday based on a complaint that she had allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 from a man for giving permission for manufacturing bricks.

"Sabita Sahoo, OAS-I, Tahasildar, Shamakhunta Tahasil was caught while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant Prafulla Kumar Dasbabu for issue of permission," an official release said.

The bribe money has been recovered from her bag and seized in presence of witnesses, said vigilance inspector Sabita Behera adding her left hand and right hand wash also gave positive confirmation of acceptance of the bribe.

The house of the accused located at Swastinagar, Balasore was also searched by the vigilance sleuths where from Rs 4,11,370 in cash, LIC policy worth Rs 3,70,00 and documents of one three-storied building at Swastinagar, Balasore worth about Rs 50,00,000 were found, officers said.