Bargarh: Odisha Vigilance today arrested Junior Engineer Susmita Oram of Gaisilet block in Bargarh district while she was accepting a bribe of ₹8,000 from a contractor. This amount was the final instalment of a total ₹32,000 bribe allegedly demanded to clear bills related to a road improvement project under the MGNREGS scheme.

According to the Vigilance, the estimated cost of the project was ₹9.5 lakh. Of this, bills worth ₹3.15 lakh had already been paid. Oram reportedly demanded 10% of the paid amount—₹32,000—as a bribe to process the remaining dues. She had earlier taken ₹24,000 and was caught red-handed today while accepting the balance amount.

The complainant, a contractor involved in the road work, approached Vigilance authorities after being repeatedly harassed by Oram for the bribe. Acting on the complaint, a trap was laid and the accused engineer was caught while taking the ₹8,000 bribe. The entire amount was recovered from her possession and seized.

Following the arrest, Odisha Vigilance launched simultaneous searches at two locations linked to Oram as part of a disproportionate assets (DA) inquiry.

A case has been registered at Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.

Oram had joined government service as a Junior Engineer under the DRDA, Bargarh on January 10, 2024, and was posted at Gaisilet block from January 29, 2024. This was her first posting.