In a major anti-corruption operation, the Odisha Vigilance on Monday nabbed two engineers for allegedly demanding and accepting a Rs 60,000 bribe from a contractor in Mayurbhanj district. The accused, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Harekrushna Singh and Junior Engineer (JE) Subrat Mohanty, are employed with the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, Udala Sub-Division.
According to vigilance sources, the bribe was demanded for the release of pending bills worth Rs 5 lakh related to projects completed by the contractor, who had executed work valued at Rs 25 lakh. Singh and Mohanty allegedly withheld the bills and security deposit while demanding Rs 1.10 lakh in bribes, receiving Rs 32,000 for Singh and Rs 28,000 for Mohanty.
Acting on a complaint, anti-corruption sleuths laid a trap and arrested the engineers while accepting the bribe, recovering the full Rs 60,000 in the presence of witnesses.
Simultaneous searches at residences and offices of the accused revealed Rs 1.80 lakh in cash from Singh’s house. Investigations are ongoing to uncover further details and links.
