In-Charge Medical Officer & Pharmacist Caught Taking Rs 40K Bribe From Nursing Officer In Odisha

Medical officer in-charge of Boipariguda CHC Dr Biswajit Bhuyan (left), and Pharmacist Uttam Mahankuda

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Friday apprehended medical officer in-charge of Boipariguda Community Health Centre (CHC) in Koraput, Dr Biswajit Bhuyan, and Pharmacist of Mobile Health Unit of National Health Mission (NHM) Uttam Mahankuda while allegedly accepting Rs 40,000 bribe.

They were caught-red handed while accepting the bribe money from a CHC staffer to release her arrear salary on the hospital premises. The entire amount was recovered from them and seized, a Vigilance release said.

“The complainant was working as a contractual nursing officer. Her service was later regularised and in July, the government ordered for release of differential financial benefits from October 2022 onwards as arrear. Accordingly, the complainant repeatedly requested Dr Bhuyan to release her arrears amounting to Rs 4, 83,572. However, he demanded 10% of arrears as bribe. He also threatened to transfer her to an interior area if the demand was not met,” it further stated.

Various allegations were earlier reported against the doctor for demanding bribe and misuse of CHC vehicle.

Simultaneous searches are currently on at 3 locations linked to Bhuyan and one to Mahankuda to ascertain whether they have accumulated assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, it added.