Odisha Vigilance arrests 2 officials of Bisoi block in Mayurbhanj for accepting bribe

Baripada: A team of Vigilance sleuths today caught two officials red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe, who are presently working in Bisoi block of Mayurbhanj district. The duo was later arrested by the Vigilance team.

The officials were identified as skill development coordinator Pradyukti Ranjan Bhuyan and block project manager Laxman Biswal.

According to an official source, Bhuyan and Biswal were apprehended on graft charges as they were demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000 from a functionary of a Gram Panchayat Level Federation (GPLF) for the appointment of her relative as master bookkeeper (MBK) in the GPLF under Bisoi block of Mayurbhanj, under Mission Shakti and Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM) scheme.

Bhuyan received the bribe from the complainant and later handed over Rs 30,000 to the other accused Laxman Biswal as his share. The entire bribe money has been recovered from the possession of both the accused persons and seized, the source added.

Following the trap and subsequent arrest, simultaneous searches are underway from the disproportionate assets (DA) angle at two different locations associated with Bhuyan and three locations linked to Biswal, respectively.

Balasore Vigilance PS case (No-03, dated 23.01.2024, U/s 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered in this connection.

A detailed investigation is still on against both Bhuyan and Biswal, a senior official informed.