2nd Panchayat Executive Officer In Odisha In Vigilance Net For Corruption In One Month

Bhubaneswar: Another Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) in the state has come under Vigilance scanner for corruption in less than a month.

Following a complaint that Pratap Kumar Samal, PEO of Patasundarpur panchayat under Kakatpur block of Puri district was demanding Rs 5,000 as bribe for allotment of IAY house in favour of his relative, who was affected by Cyclone Fani, the Vigilance officials of Bhubaneswar Division set a trap.

As per the plan, the Vigilance sleuths nabbed Samal while accepting the bribe money from the complainant in front of Chandan Restaurant in Nimapara. They recovered and seized the money from Samal.

The PEO was arrested and forwarded to the court. The Vigilance has registered a case under Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 in this connection and further investigation is on.

On August 26, the Vigilance conducted raids on the office and houses of Anil Kumar Padhi, PEO of Beherapali Village council in Baragarh district in disproportionate assets case and found him in possession of properties worth more than Rs 70 lakh.

Also Read: Panchayat Executive Officer In Odisha Under Vigilance Scanner, Raids Underway