Odisha Vigilance on Monday apprehended Biswaranjan Pradhan, Office Assistant-cum-Data Entry Operator at the Welfare Section of Simulia Block in Balasore district, while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a complainant.
The bribe was reportedly demanded for processing an application under the Sumangal Scheme, which provides government assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for inter-caste marriages.
Bribe Demand and Trap Operation
According to Vigilance sources, the complainant had married an SC girl on March 31, 2025, and had been pursuing government benefits under the Sumangal Scheme for the past six months. However, Pradhan allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 to process the file. After the complainant expressed his inability to pay, the demand was reduced to Rs 5,000.
Finding no alternative, the complainant reported the matter to Odisha Vigilance, narrating the alleged harassment. Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught Pradhan red-handed while accepting the reduced bribe amount of Rs 5,000.
Recovery and Investigation
The entire tainted money of Rs 5,000 was recovered from Pradhan’s possession and seized as evidence. Simultaneous searches are being conducted at two locations linked to the accused to verify disproportionate assets.
A case has been registered under Balasore Vigilance PS Case No. 12/2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. The investigation is currently in progress.
Crackdown on Corruption
This latest action underscores the state government’s ongoing efforts to curb corruption in welfare schemes and ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitlements without harassment.
