In a shocking development, Dhiman Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer serving as Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman. The incident unfolded at Chakma’s official government residence on Sunday.
According to Vigilance officials, Chakma allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh from the businessman, threatening to obstruct his business operations if the amount was not paid. The Rs 10 lakh seized was an instalment of the larger bribe.
The officer was apprehended while verifying 26 bundles of 100 notes of various denominations, which he then placed in his office table drawer. Chemical tests conducted on his hands and the drawer confirmed the presence of marked currency, solidifying the evidence against him.
Following the arrest, searches at Chakma’s residence led to the recovery of an additional Rs 47 lakh in cash, with further investigations underway to uncover more assets.
A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, at the Vigilance Cell PS (Case No. 6/2025). “The investigation is ongoing,” Odisha Vigilance stated.
