In a coordinated operation across Sambalpur, Nayagarh, and Mayurbhanj districts, Odisha Vigilance officials arrested three government employees on charges of bribery and embezzlement.
In Sambalpur, Aswini Kumar Panda, Tahasildar of Bamra, was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 from a complainant seeking conversion of agricultural land to homestead land in a mutation case. The bribe was routed through his office driver, P. Praveen Kumar, who has also been detained. The entire amount was seized during the operation, and searches are ongoing at three locations linked to Panda. The case is registered under Sambalpur Vigilance PS Case No.17/2025.
In Nayagarh, Chittaranjan Rout, District Labour Officer, was arrested while accepting Rs 6,000 as a bribe for issuing labour cards to 20 impoverished labourers. The complainant reportedly faced nearly a year of delay due to Rout’s demand. Authorities have recovered the bribe money and are conducting further searches. Rout was already under vigilance scrutiny for similar allegations. This case is registered under Bhubaneswar Vigilance PS Case No.19/2025.
In Mayurbhanj, Puspita Mahakud, former Panchayat Executive Officer of Luhasila GP, was nabbed for embezzling Rs 5.68 lakh meant for old age pension distribution. She is currently posted at the office of the Sub-Collector, Rairangpur. Investigations are ongoing to recover the misappropriated funds and determine the extent of the fraud.
These arrests underscore Odisha Vigilance’s intensified drive to eradicate corruption from public service and reinforce accountability in governance.
