Odisha: Health officer Rajendra Panigrahy gifted house to mother with bribe money!

Paradip: A health officer identified as Rajendra Narayan Panigrahy, who was previously arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had gifted a three-bedroom flat worth around Rs 80 lakh to his mother with bribe money in Nayapalli locality of Bhubaneswar, investigating officers suspect.

Panigrahy works in the Port Health Organization (PHO) in Paradip town of Jagatsinghpur.

This came to the fore today during a detailed probe into an alleged DA charge. The health officer purchased the flat from a builder by making cash payment. The builder would likely be quizzed in this connection soon. Houses of Panigrahy’s relatives were recently raided.

CBI produced the health officer in court earlier in the day following the end of a five-day remand period. The agency may seek his remand again to probe into dollars seized from his possession.

It is pertinent to mention, the doctor was nabbed on October 12 by CBI sleuths while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 at his office near Bhuian Chhak in Paradip town of the district.

Following this, a simultaneous house search was initiated at different places associated with Panigrahy. He had accepted the bribe amount from an agent of Eminence Shipping Company.

Panigrahy accepted the bribe for checking the health of crew members of a ship. He used to often demand bribes from crew members of most of the ships coming to Paradip to issue reports.