Odisha Vigilance officials apprehended Hadibandhu Behera, Assistant Record Keeper at the Settlement Office in Keonjhar, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000 from a local farmer.
According to sources, the complainant had applied for certified copies of the khatian and amin report related to his disputed ancestral land on July 4, 2025. Despite repeated requests, Behera allegedly demanded Rs 3,000 to release the documents and refused to provide them without payment.
Faced with persistent harassment, the complainant approached Vigilance authorities, leading to a trap being laid. Behera was caught red-handed in his office while accepting the bribe. The Vigilance team recovered the entire amount from his possession, comprising five Rs 500 notes, one Rs 200 note, and three Rs 100 notes.
Following the arrest, simultaneous searches are underway at two locations linked to Behera to investigate disproportionate assets. A case has been registered under Balasore Vigilance P.S. Case No. 08/2025, U/s 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018. The investigation is ongoing.
