Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths have travelled to Tripura and Himachal Pradesh in connection with a bribery case, involving suspended Dharamgarh sub-collector Dhiman Chakma.
Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, was arrested on June 8 for allegedly accepting Rs 10 lakh bribe from a businessman in Kalahandi on Sunday and placed under suspension on June 10.
According to a Vigilance release, three teams have been deputed to these states. They are carrying out verification and searches at the residential house of Chakma at Kanchanpur, North Tripura and that of his in-laws at Saminala in Manali and Rangbey in Lahole-Spitti, Himachal Pradesh, on the strength of search warrants issued by Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna.
“Relevant documents related to deposits and investments in banks and other financial instruments, are being collected and scrutinized. Details of other movable/immovable assets are also being examined to ascertain whether he has accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, it added.
Chakma’s career began in 2019 when he was selected in UPSC’s Indian Forest Service. He joined as an assistant conservator of forests in Baripada, Mayurbhanj district. In 2020, he cleared the IAS exam and joined as sub-collector at Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district.
While the IAS officer was caught taking Rs 10 lakh, which was a part instalment of Rs 20 lakh which he had demanded from the businessman, who operates stone crusher units in areas under his jurisdiction, subsequent house search yielded an additional Rs 47 lakh in unaccounted cash.
Meanwhile, Bhawanipatna District Vigilance Court on Tuesday rejected his bail plea.