Chief Civil Supplies Officer Held For Demanding Rs 1.80 Lakh Bribe In Odisha’s Balangir

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Friday apprehended Balangir District Chief Civil Supplies Officer, Pravakar Patra, while allegedly accepting Rs 50,000 bribe from a rice miller.

According to a Vigilance release, Patro had demanded Rs 1.80 lakh from the complainant to clear pending bills and placement of new order. He had earlier taken Rs 1.30 lakh and was caught while accepting the remaining Rs 50,000. The bribe money was recovered from him and seized.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches are on at properties linked to Patro at  Surya Enclave, Suryanagar, in Bhubaneswar, Market Complex at Balipadar, Buguda, in Ganjam and rented residential house at Silicon Valley in Balangir to ascertain whether he has accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Apart from Rs 50,000 bribe amount, another Rs 4,39,000 was found during house search at residence in Balangir, and seized, the release said.

A case under Section 7 of prevent of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, has been registered and further investigation is underway, it added.