Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance officials today apprehended Assistant Fisheries Officer (AFO) Suresh Kumar Behera of Polasara in Ganjam district for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹8,000 through a digital payment platform.

According to Vigilance sources, Behera demanded the bribe from a beneficiary of the Assistance to Network Fish Seed Growers Scheme to release a subsidy amount of around ₹1.38 lakh and issue a money receipt for the procurement of fish spawn.

As per government norms, the beneficiary is entitled to 60% of the total investment under the scheme. The complainant had invested ₹2,31,390 for the project, which included ₹43,000 paid through Behera for procuring fish spawn from a government hatchery at Bhanjanagar. However, the AFO allegedly withheld the money receipt and delayed the release of the subsidy without any valid reason, later demanding ₹8,000 via PhonePe to process the paperwork.

After the complainant reported the matter, Odisha Vigilance officials laid a trap and caught Behera red-handed during the digital transaction. His mobile phone, used to receive the bribe, was seized immediately.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches were conducted at two locations linked to Behera to check for disproportionate assets.

A case has been registered at the Berhampur Vigilance Police Station (Case No. 15 dated 15.10.2025) under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. The investigation is ongoing.