Bhubaneswar, Nov 4 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday nabbed a police Sub Inspector (SI) while accepting a bribe from a man in exchange for settling a miscellaneous case registered against him.

The accused cop, identified as Sujit Kumar Mahanta, is presently posted as SI at the Mahulpali Police Station in Sambalpur district. The agency, in an official statement, noted that the accused was caught red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs.10,000 from the complainant to finalise a miscellaneous case registered against the complainant at the Police Station, of which he was the Investigation Officer (IO).

However, in a dramatic turn of events, after receiving the bribe money, Mahanta suddenly spotted the Vigilance team and realised that he had fallen into the agency’s trap. He then fled the spot in an attempt to evade arrest.

As the Vigilance team chased him, the SI jumped into a nearby pond to escape. However, a constable in the vigilance team jumped and swam into the pond and apprehended Mahanta.

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

The agency said that the right-hand wash of Mahanta gave a positive chemical reaction, confirming taking and handling of bribe money by him.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches have been launched in the restroom of Mahanta adjoining to Mahulpali Police Station, the government quarter of his father at Bandamunda, Rourkela and his office room.

During searches, cash Rs.1,55,700 has been recovered from the restroom of Mahanta adjoining to Mahulpali Police Station, Sambalpur and seized.

According to the vigilance, accused SI Mahanta has been detained for further interrogation. In this connection, a case (21/26) has been registered at the Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station on November 3 under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

It is worth mentioning that the Odisha Vigilance has registered as many as 232 trap cases and arrested 274 persons, including 31 Class-I officers and 38 Class-II officers, while demanding and taking bribes worth Rs.58.39 lakhs during the period from June 12, 2024, to October 26, 2026.

–IANS

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