Odisha Vigilance apprehended Rakesh Kumar Panda, Forester of Ankui under Delang Range in Puri district, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a tractor owner.
The officer allegedly sought money to permit the tractor to pass through a forest road carrying excavated earth for dumping on private land.
The tractor owner reported Panda’s demand to Vigilance authorities after the officer threatened to seize the vehicle if found using the forest road without prior permission. Acting on the complaint, Vigilance officials laid a trap and caught Panda red-handed while accepting the bribe. The tainted money was recovered from his possession and seized.
Following the arrest, Vigilance teams launched simultaneous searches at two locations linked to Panda to investigate disproportionate assets. Officials confirmed that Bhubaneswar Vigilance P.S. Case No. 11 dated June 17, 2026, has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Investigators stated that the probe will continue to uncover further evidence against the accused. The operation highlights Vigilance’s ongoing crackdown on corruption within the forest and revenue departments.
