OFDC supervisor in Vigilance net for taking bribe in Odisha

Jharsuguda: The Vigilance sleuths today arrested a supervisor of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) on charges of taking Rs 16,000 bribe from a contractor to allow him lifting firewood.

The accused OFDC supervisor of Jharsuguda branch, Sumant Paikaray was caught red handed by the sleuths at the corporation’s Badamala office while accepting the bribe.

Daitari Pradhan of Raghunathpali area had won a tender to lift six lots of firewood from the OFDC Jharsuguda. He had also deposited the required amount at the corporation’s office towards the value of the firewood. However, Pradhan denied permission by Paikaray to lift the firewood.

Moreover, the OFDC supervisor demanded Rs 25,000 from Pradhan to grant the permission. After a negotiation, the deal was struck at Rs 16,000 and the supervisor agreed to allow Pradhan to lift the firewood in lieu of the bribe amount.

Pradhan lodged a complaint at the Vigilance office on Monday, following which a case was registered. A team was formed after a directive was issued by Vigilance SP Rabindra Kumar Pradhan.

As per the plan, the sleuths hiding at the Badamala OFDC office caught the supervisor red handed while taking Rs 16,000 from Pradhan at around 2:30 PM. Later they seized the chemical laced currency notes from the supervisor.