Odisha Vigilance officials today apprehended a Gram Panchayat staffer in Mayurbhanj district while he took a bribe from a poor farmer under the MGNREG scheme.
On December 6, 2025, Vigilance sleuths nabbed Hemanta Kumar Behera, Accountant-cum-Data Entry Operator (ADEO) of Talapada GP, Badasahi Block, after he demanded and accepted ₹2,500 from a beneficiary. The farmer had sought the generation of a work code for a sanctioned farm pond in his favour.
Moreover, under MGNREGS, farm pond benefits primarily target marginalised groups such as SC/ST, BPL, and small or marginal farmers. The beneficiary had been requesting Behera for over a month to generate the code, which is mandatory for issuing a work order. Instead, Behera allegedly demanded a bribe.
Consequently, the farmer, unable to pay, approached the Vigilance authorities and narrated his harassment. Officials revealed that Behera had earlier faced complaints of similar misconduct. Acting swiftly, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught him red-handed while accepting the bribe.
Furthermore, the entire bribe amount was recovered from Behera’s possession and seized. Following the arrest, simultaneous searches began at two locations linked to him to examine disproportionate assets.
In addition, Balasore Vigilance PS registered Case No.18 dated 05.12.2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 against Behera.
Finally, authorities confirmed that a detailed report will follow, while investigations continue to uncover the extent of Behera’s alleged corrupt practices.
