Bhubaneswar: A male health worker (MHW) of Haladia Community Health Centre (CHC) in Khurda district was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Thursday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1,000 from a complainant.
The accused, identified as Bibhuti Bhusan Sahoo, had allegedly demanded money to process files for the issuance of death certificates of the complainant’s deceased parents.
The complainant h
ad earlier submitted an application to the Sub-Collector, Khurda, who directed the Registrar, Birth and Death-cum-Medical Officer, Haladia CHC, to issue the certificates. Despite the order, Sahoo refused to act without payment. Distressed by the demand, the complainant approached the Vigilance authorities and narrated his harassment.
Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught Sahoo red-handed while taking the bribe. Officials recovered the entire tainted money from his possession and seized it. Following the operation, simultaneous searches began at two locations linked to the accused to investigate disproportionate assets.
Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station registered a case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is underway against Sahoo.