Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Tuesday apprehended Suchismita Parija, an Assistant Engineer (AE) in Koraput’s Lamtaput block, while allegedly accepting Rs 8,000 bribe.
This was an installment of a total Rs 15,000 bribe, which she had demanded from a village mate to release payment of bills for labourers engaged by the complainant in ghat-cutting work under MGNREGA scheme, a Vigilance release said.
Parija was caught red-handed while taking the bribe at her residential government quarter at Lamtaput. She had earlier received Rs 5,000 from the complainant and demanded another Rs 10,000 to release the bill. She later reduced it to Rs 8,000. Following which, the complainant alerted the authorities, who laid a trap to apprehend her. The entire bribe money was recovered from her and seized.
Simultaneous searches are currently underway at three locations linked to Parija to ascertain whether she has accumulated assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.
A case has been registered against her under Section 7 of PC (Amendment) Act, 2018, and further investigation is underway.
