Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Wednesday apprehended secretary of Mahu Co-operative Society in Kendrapada’s Aul, Dhirendra Mohanty, while allegedly accepting Rs 10,000 bribe from a farmer.
According to a Vigilance release, Mohanty had demanded the illegal gratification from the complainant to hand over the passbook and cheque book for drawing the loan already granted in his favour. “The farmer and his father were granted a Rs 75,000 agricultural loan from the society on August 12. Despite several requests, Mohanty delayed handing them over the passbook and cheque book. He instead demanded Rs 20,000 to provide these documents. When the loanee expressed his inability to pay the amount, he brought it down to Rs 10,000. He also threatened the complainant to cough up the amount by August 20,” it said.
Following which, the farmer reported the matter to Vigilance authorities and accordingly a trap was laid. Mohanty was caught red-handed and the entire bribe money was recovered from him and seized.
Simultaneous searches are currently underway at two locations linked to him to ascertain whether he has accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A case has been registered against Mohanty under Section 7 of PC Act, (Amendment) Act, 2018, and further investigation is underway, it added.
