Vigilance Arrests Forester On Bribe Charge In Odisha’s Balangir

Balangir: Forester Harihar Swain, who was nabbed by Vigilance sleuths while taking bribe of more than Rs 1 lakh, was arrested and forwarded to court on Tuesday.

Following a complaint that Swain, Forester, Sindhekela Beat under Bangomunda Forest Range in Balangir district, was demanding Rs 1,00,300 from labourers working under different projects of Forest department through their representative, the Vigilance set a trap.

As per the plan, the complainant went to give the bribe to Swain in the latter’s residential-cum-office chamber. The Forester was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe money. The Vigilance sleuths recovered the entire amount from possession of Swain and seized it.

Following the trap, Vigilance conducted simultaneous searches on the residential quarter-cum-office chamber of Swain at Sindhekela Section, rented residential house at Thikadarpada in Balangir town and newly constructed single-storey building at Chimnibhatipada in Balangir. During searches, Rs 1,72,550 was recovered and seized from rented residential house at Thikadarpada.

Swain was arrested and forwarded to the court. Sambalpur Vigilance has registered a case under PC Act, 1988 in this connection and further investigation is on.