Odisha Engineer Arrested for Accepting Rs 2 Lakh Bribe Before Retirement
A senior executive engineer in Odisha's Rayagada district was arrested by the Vigilance Department for accepting a Rs 2 lakh bribe. The official, who was days away from retirement, was caught in a trap operation following complaints of systemic harassment and corruption.
Highlights
- •Odisha Vigilance Department arrested Executive Engineer Prasanna Pattnaik for bribery.
- •The accused was caught accepting Rs 2 lakh just one week before his retirement.
- •Raids were conducted at four locations, including Bhubaneswar, to check for disproportionate assets.
- •A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the official.
In a significant crackdown against corruption, the Odisha Vigilance Department has apprehended a high-ranking official just days before his scheduled departure from service. Prasanna Pattnaik, an executive engineer within the rural development department of Rayagada district, was taken into custody on Tuesday for allegedly demanding and accepting an illicit payment.
The arrest of the Odisha engineer occurred during a meticulously organized trap operation initiated by state vigilance authorities. Officials confirmed that Pattnaik was caught red-handed while in the process of accepting a Rs 2 lakh bribe. This sum was allegedly requested as a kickback in exchange for processing and clearing pending bills for a local contractor, Sanyasi Subuddhi.
Details of the Anti-Corruption Operation
According to reports from investigators, the trap was established following a formal complaint filed by Subuddhi. The contractor alleged that the accused had made it a routine practice to demand illegal gratifications to perform his official duties, which included issuing mandatory experience certificates and clearing financial documentation. The contractor further claimed that despite being close to his retirement date of June 30, the engineer remained persistent in his demands for money.
Following the successful sting operation, the Odisha Vigilance Department expanded its scope of investigation. Authorities conducted simultaneous searches at four distinct locations associated with Pattnaik. These raids were aimed at identifying any assets that might be disproportionate to his known sources of income. The search operations encompassed his official office and personal residence in Rayagada, his ancestral home in Nayagarh district, and two additional properties located in Bhubaneswar.
The engineer now faces legal action under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The vigilance wing continues to scrutinize his financial records and property holdings to ascertain the full extent of his alleged illicit activities. This incident highlights the ongoing and intensified efforts by state authorities to eliminate graft, particularly within government departments responsible for public infrastructure and developmental works.
The contractor involved stated that the situation had become untenable, as the engineer had initially demanded an even larger sum before the final amount of Rs 2 lakh was settled upon for the bill clearance. The case is currently under active investigation, with further findings expected as the authorities analyze the documents and assets seized during the raids.
