Bhubaneswar: An IAS officer was caught by the Vigilance Department in Odisha while accepting Rs 10 lakh as bribe from a businessman today.

Dhiman Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, has been caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a businessman. Chakma is the Sub-Collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi district, said the Vigilance Department today.

The IAS officer had sought Rs 20 lakh as bribe from the businessman by threatening him with government action on his business. The businessman had lodged a complaint in this regard with the Vigilance Department.

The Vigilance sleuths caught the IAS offer while he was accepting Rs 10 lakh as bribe from the complainant at his official residence at Dharmagarh today.

The Vigilance officials recovered altogether 26 bundles of notes of various denominations from the IAS officer’s table drawer. Both hand wash and table drawer wash gave positive chemical reaction, said the Vigilance.

Cash 1

The officials also recovered Rs 47 lakh more in cash during searches at the IAS officer’s official residence.

The Vigilance Department has registered a case in this regard under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018. Further searches in this regard is under progress, added the Vigilance Department.

Chakma, a native of Kanchanpur area in Tripura, had secured 482 rank in the Civil Services Examinations-2020, conducted by the UPSC.

He had earlier cleared the IFS exams and was working as a Forest Department officer at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.