Odisha Vigilance officials apprehended Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines for Cuttack Circle, on Tuesday, while he was demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a licensed coal vendor.
According to Vigilance sources, Mohanty was caught in the act of taking the bribe in exchange for ensuring the smooth operation of the businessman’s coal depot and granting necessary permissions for coal transportation. The entire bribe amount was recovered from his possession and has been seized as evidence.
The businessman, who operates a legitimate coal vending business, had reportedly approached Vigilance authorities after facing repeated demands from the official.
Following the successful trap, simultaneous searches were launched at three locations linked to Mohanty to investigate potential disproportionate assets (DA). These raids aim to uncover any unexplained wealth accumulated through corrupt practices during his tenure.
The case has been registered at Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station as Case No. 01 dated February 23, 2026, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigations are ongoing, with a detailed report expected soon.
