Odisha Vigilance arrested Soro Tahasildar Daitari Mallik and his associate Dayanidhi Jena for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a truck owner.
The bribe was taken to facilitate the release of five stone-laden trucks detained since February 11.
Investigators revealed that Mallik initially demanded Rs 1 lakh to avoid handing over the trucks to the mining department, which would have levied heavy penalties. After negotiation, he reduced the demand to Rs 40,000. The truck owner reported the matter to Vigilance, leading to a planned trap.
A Vigilance team apprehended Mallik while he accepted the bribe through Jena. Officers recovered the entire bribe amount and seized it as evidence. Following the arrest, simultaneous searches began at three locations linked to Mallik to investigate disproportionate assets.
Balasore Vigilance PS registered Case No. 05/2026 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 against both accused. Officials confirmed that further investigation will continue to uncover additional irregularities.
The Vigilance Department emphasised its commitment to strict enforcement against corruption in public offices. The arrest highlights ongoing efforts to curb illegal practices in revenue administration and protect public interest.
