Bhubaneswar, Oct 8 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested an Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer after he was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe from one of the staffers in his office for relieving him on his transfer and for releasing his arrear salary and the Last Pay Certificate (LPC).

The accused OAS officer, identified as Banamali Satpathy, is currently posted as the Executive Officer, Belaguntha Notified Area Council (NAC) in Ganjam district.

“Accused Satpathy was demanding a bribe of Rs. 25,000 from the complainant to release his pending arrear salary and to send his LPC (Last Pay Certificate). As a result, he was unable to draw a salary at his new place of posting. Left with no other option, the complainant reported the matter to the Vigilance authorities,” said a senior official.

Based on the above complaint, the vigilance laid a trap on Wednesday and caught the accused Satpathy while taking the bribe amount from the complainant at Balipadar Bus Stop in Ganjam district.

The entire bribe money was recovered and seized from the possession of Satpathy in the presence of witnesses.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches have been launched on the Government quarter of Satpathy and his office room at Belaguntha, a residential house located at Kabisurya Nagar in Ganjam district.

The cops have so far found five buildings at Kabisurya Nagar and 7 valuable plots, including one in Puri town and six in Ganjam district, in possession of Satpathy and his family members.

Also, cash of Rs. 1,60,400 was recovered from his residence at Kabisurya Nagar.

A case has been registered against accused Satpathy in this connection under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Accused Satpathy joined government service as a Junior Clerk under the Koraput Collectorate in 1989.

In 2022, he was promoted to the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) cadre. Since February this year, he has been serving as the Executive Officer of Belaguntha NAC.

–IANS

gyan/dan