Odisha Vigilance officials caught Assistant Revenue Inspector (ARI) Abhimanyu Behera red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 12,000 at his office in Kendrapara district.
The incident took place on November 25, 2025, under Derabish Tahsil’s Nikirei R.I Circle. Behera demanded money from a landowner to furnish a favourable verification report for converting agricultural land into homestead land. The landowner had applied online for conversion before the Tahsildar, Derabish, on October 31, 2025.
During the enquiry, Behera initially demanded Rs 15,000. When the landowner expressed an inability to pay, Behera reduced the demand to Rs 12,000 and insisted on payment as a condition for approval. Finding no alternative, the landowner reported the matter to Odisha Vigilance.
Acting swiftly, a vigilance team apprehended Behera at his office while he accepted the bribe. Officials recovered the entire amount from his possession and seized it as evidence.
Following the trap, simultaneous searches began at two of Behera’s locations to investigate disproportionate assets. Authorities registered Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No. 33/2024 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is currently in progress.
The vigilance operation highlights Odisha’s ongoing efforts to curb corruption in revenue administration and ensure transparency in land conversion processes.
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