Bhubaneswar: A Special Vigilance Court in Odisha’s Sundargarh district today convicted a doctor in a bribery case, registered against him 10 years ago.

The court sentenced convict Patita Paban Barik, the in-charge medical officer of Gurandi Community health Centre (CHC) in Gajapati district, to five years of rigorous imprisonment.

It also imposed a penalty of Rs 20,000 on Barik. Non-payment of the penalty amount would invite further jail term for six months.

As per the case records, Barik, during his tenure as in-charge medical officer of Gurundia CHC in Sundargarh, had demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the owner of a vehicle, engaged in the hospital, to sign the logbook for processing of the hiring charges.

The vehicle owner had lodged a complaint in this regard with the Vigilance Department. Subsequently, a trap was laid and the doctor was caught red-handed while taking the bribe in his office on December 4, 2015.

The Vigilance Department had submitted a chargesheet against the doctor in the special court under the relevant Sections of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.

Soon after his conviction, the doctor was sent to the jail to serve the sentence.

The Vigilance Department will soon move the competent authority for dismissal of Barik from service following his conviction in the bribery case.