Bhubaneswar: Amin of Nimapara in Puri district has been detained on charges of demanding Rs 30,000 as bribe for processing a building plan file.
According to a Vigilance release, Bijay Kumar Grahacharya was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Saturday while accepting the 3rd and final instalment of bribe Rs 17,000 from the complainant, who had applied for the approval of building plan to construct a house in the NAC area in March.
Grahacharya delayed the process over Rs 33,000 bribe demand and when the complainant expressed his ability to pay the amount, he later reduced it to Rs 30,000. He had received Rs 3,000 and Rs 10,000 in two instalments a few days back to initiate the process. At the same time, the applicant also reported the matter to the Vigilance authorities, who then laid a trap and nabbed him while accepting the remaining Rs 17,000.
“On seeing the vigilance team, he took out the money from his pocket and dropped it on the footrest of a scooter parked in front of the office,” the release said.
The entire bribe money was recovered and seized from him, it added.
Simultaneous searches were also conducted at two locations linked to Grahacharya to ascertain whether he had accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A case has been registered against him under Section 7 of P C. (Amendment) Act, 2018 and further investigation is underway.
