Panchayat official caught taking bribe in Odisha

Kendrapada: Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) Dharmananda Behera of Bangalpur Gram Panchayat under Garadpur block in Kendrapada district was caught red-handed by Vigilance officials while he was accepting bribe of Rs 7,000 today.

Sources said the Panchayat official had demanded the bribe from complainant Subhendra Kumar Routray of Hurasahi village to process a payment of Rs 50,000 for construction of changing room at a bathing ghat of a village pond. Acting on a complaint, officials of Kendrapada Vigilance unit laid a trap and caught the Government official red-handed. The anti-graft officials also seized the money from Behera.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered at Cuttack Vigilance police station and further investigation is underway in this connection.