Sambalpur: Vigilance officials on Thursday apprehended a state government official while accepting bribe of Rs 20,000 in Odisha’s Samablpur city.
Followin
g complaint that Bhagirathi Kharsel, Junior Clerk in the office of Joint Labour Commissioner, Sambalpur was demanding Rs 20,000 from a labour contractor for issuing licence for 55 labourers with validity for one year, the Vigilance set a trap.
As per the plan, the complainant went to give the bribe to Kharsel. While the junior clerk was accepting the money, the Vigilance sleuths caught him red-handed. The entire bribe amount of Rs 20,000 was recovered from possession of Kharsel and seized.
Following the trap, the Vigilance launched simultaneous searches in the properties of Kharsel at 2 locations in Sambalpur district from disproportionate assets (DA) angle.
Sambalpur Vigilance has registered a case under PC Amendment Act, 2018 in this connection and further investigation is in progress.