In a swift and decisive anti-corruption operation, the Odisha Vigilance today caught Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Prasanta Pradhan of Rajkanika Police Station red-handed while he was accepting a Rs 2,000 bribe from a distressed complainant.
The ASI, who had been entrusted with inquiring into a sensitive land dispute case on court orders, allegedly demanded the bribe to submit a favourable report that would help the complainant stop illegal construction on joint family property.
According to Vigilance officials, the complainant approached the court after his co-sharer began constructing on the shared land without consent. The competent court directed the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of Rajkanika Police Station to submit a report within three days. The IIC, in turn, assigned the inquiry to ASI Prasanta Pradhan.
Instead of performing his duty honestly, the ASI allegedly demanded Rs 2,000 from the complainant to get the report in his favour. Frustrated and determined not to pay, the complainant approached the Vigilance.
Acting on the tip-off, a Vigilance squad laid a trap and nabbed ASI Pradhan moments after he accepted the bribe money near the old Rajkanika Police Station building this afternoon. The entire tainted cash was recovered from his possession and seized on the spot.
Following the trap, simultaneous raids are underway at two locations linked to the accused to probe his assets under the disproportionate assets (DA) angle.
A case has been registered at Cuttack Vigilance Police Station vide Case No. 16/2026 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Amendment), 2018. Investigation is progressing, the Vigilance said.
