The Odisha Vigilance on Monday apprehended Shaikh Rayaz Alli, the Headmaster of a Government Upper Primary School under the Balipatna Block in Khordha district, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 15,000.
The accused headmaster was caught red-handed demanding and accepting the illegal gratification from his predecessor, the former headmaster of the school. According to officials, the complainant had incurred personal expenses under the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme for a four-month period while awaiting the official government allotment of funds.
Because the ex-headmaster was transferred and relieved of his duties before the funds could be drawn and allotted, he formally requested Rayaz Alli to release the reimbursement amount via cheque, adhering to standard government guidelines. However, rather than processing the legitimate payment, Alli allegedly demanded a kickback of Rs. 15,000 to clear the transaction.
Unable to stomach the extortion, the aggrieved former headmaster approached the Odisha Vigilance authorities. Acting swiftly on the complaint, a dedicated vigilance team laid a successful trap, nabbing Rayaz Alli in the act. The entire tainted amount of Rs. 15,000 was successfully recovered from his possession and seized.
Following the trap, simultaneous search operations are currently underway at two locations linked to the accused headmaster from a Disproportionate Assets (DA) angle.
Authorities have registered a formal case under Bhubaneswar Vigilance P.S. Case No. 23, dated September 3, 2026, invoking Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation into the matter is actively ongoing.
