Bhubaneswar, May 17: The Odisha Vigilance Department arrested two individuals, including a junior engineer, on Sunday. They are accused of accepting a bribe of ₹1.36 lakh from a contractor to approve pending bills and facilitate the return of a security deposit for work completed under the Chief Minister’s Road Scheme (MMSY) during the 2021-22 period in the Khandapara area of Nayagarh district.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Keshav Subudhi, a junior engineer stationed in the Bhapur rural works section of Nayagarh district, and his accomplice, Ashutosh Baliarsingh, a private individual acting as Subudhi’s supervisor.
A senior vigilance officer reported, “On Sunday, Subudhi and his accomplice Baliarsingh were caught red-handed by the Odisha Vigilance Department while they were accepting a bribe of ₹1,36,000 from a contractor in exchange for passing bills related to construction and maintenance work under the MMSY for the year 2021-22.”
According to government regulations, the initial security deposit (ISD) is returned to the contractor after the maintenance period is completed. The government has also mandated that if measurements for maintenance work are not taken, the ISD and security deposit will be confiscated.
The contractor had been repeatedly requesting Subudhi to take measurements and assist in releasing the security deposit over the past three to four months after completing the maintenance work.
However, the junior engineer allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1.36 lakh from the contractor to take measurements and approve the pending bills. Frustrated by this demand, the contractor contacted vigilance officials to report the issue.
Based on the complaint, vigilance officers set up a trap on Sunday and caught Subudhi and Baliarsingh at Subudhi’s government residence in Khandapara while they were demanding and accepting the bribe.
The vigilance officer stated that on Sunday, the junior engineer summoned the contractor to his residence in Khandapara and instructed him to hand over the bribe amount to his supervisor, Baliarsingh, who was present at the time. The entire amount was recovered in the presence of witnesses.
Subsequently, a search operation was conducted at Subudhi’s government residence in Khandapara, his flat in the Metro Apartments in Hanspal, Bhubaneswar, and his office. During the search, 17 old notes of ₹2,000 were seized from his government residence in Khandapara.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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