Odisha Tehsildar nabbed while taking Rs 20,000 bribe

Odisha Vigilance sleuths caught Mahakalpada Tehsildar Siba Mallick in Kendrapara district on Tuesday, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a complainant.

According to sources, the complainant had filed an encroachment case in 2024 after miscreants forcibly occupied government land, blocking the common road. The Revenue Inspector concerned had submitted a report in April 2024 confirming the encroachment, but the matter remained pending before the Tehsildar.

Despite repeated requests, Mallick allegedly demanded Rs 20,000 from the complainant to carry out the eviction of the illegal structure, warning that the file would otherwise be kept pending for years. Left with no choice, the complainant reported the matter to Vigilance officials.

Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and apprehended Mallick inside his restroom at the Tehsil office while taking the bribe money. The entire amount of Rs 20,000 has been recovered and seized from his possession.

Following the trap, Vigilance is conducting simultaneous searches at six locations linked to Mallick on disproportionate assets (DA) angles. In this connection, Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No.29/2025 under Section 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered. Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.