Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Thursday apprehended a Block Programme Manager while accepting a ₹20,000 bribe from an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA worker) in Jagatsinghpur district.
The official, identified as Manoj Ranjan Nayak of the Kujanga Community Health Centre (CHC), allegedly extorted the money by threatening to force the health worker into early retirement.
According to a Vigilance release, the complainant’s official School Leaving Certificate, submitted during her initial appointment, lists her date of birth as May 17, 1966, giving her two more years of service. However, Nayak pointed out a discrepancy in her Aadhaar card to claim she was past retirement age, and demanded ₹20,000 to refrain from terminating her employment.
Unable to pay, the worker reported the harassment to anti-corruption authorities. Vigilance officers set a trap, apprehending Nayak on the spot and recovering the entire ₹20,000 from his possession.
Following the operation, simultaneous searches are being conducted at two locations connected to Nayak to investigate potential disproportionate assets. A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and further investigation is underway.