Odisha Vigilance today apprehended Prasanta Kumar Bhatta, Accountant‑cum‑Data Entry Operator (ADEO) of Raj Jankia GP under Ranpur Block, while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000 from a beneficiary under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana‑Gramin (PMAY‑G).
Officials said Bhatta had already collected Rs 7,000 earlier from the complainant, who had completed construction of his PMAY‑G house in March 2025. Despite repeated requests, the ADEO allegedly demanded additional money to facilitate the release of the bonus for timely completion and pending wages under MGNREGS.
Acting on the complaint, Vigilance officers laid a trap and caught Bhatta red‑handed while accepting the bribe. The entire tainted amount of Rs 4,000 was recovered from his possession and seized.
Simultaneous searches are underway at two locations linked to Bhatta from the disproportionate assets angle. In this connection, Bhubaneswar Vigilance PS Case No. 18 dated 06.08.2026 has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is in progress.
