Two Odisha police officials held for taking Rs 50,000 bribe

Bhubaneswar: Chandipur police station Inspector In-Charge (IIC) Ganeswar Pradhan and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pradeep Kumar Mohanty were caught by the Odisha Vigilance while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a licensed IMFL off shop owner today.

The duo was collecting the money as their monthly quota (extortion) from the liquor shop owner. They were threatening the liquor shop owner to stop his business. The entire bribe money has been recovered from Mohanty, said a Vigilance official.

The two police officers were later arrested. Pradhan was also holding the additional charge of Marine Police station IIC in Balasore district, added the official.

The Vigilance sleuths had laid a trap to catch the two police officers with the bribe money, sources said.

As per the direction of Pradhan, Mohanty received the bribe amount from the liquor shop owner on the premises of Chandipur Post Office, located close to Chandipur police station.

Left hand as well as pant pocket wash of Mohanty gave positive chemical reaction, confirming acceptance and handling of bribe money by him, said the official.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches were carried out at Pradhan’s present accommodation at Sagar Darshan Guest House, his parental house at Arshala in Keonjhar, Mohanty’s office and government quarters and his parental house at Itua in Balasore in connection with disproportionate assets (DA).

Balasore Vigilance police have registered a case (No.18/2023) under various sections of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is in progress against both the accused persons, said the official.