Sambalpur, Nov 5: In a dramatic anti-corruption operation, Odisha Vigilance arrested a Sub-Inspector (SI) of Mahulpali Police Station in Kuchinda subdivision of Sambalpur district while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 to settle an assault case.The accused officer, identified as Sujit Kumar Mahanta, reportedly attempted to escape after spotting the Vigilance team. He ran through nearby bushes and jumped into a pond near the police station to evade arrest. However, Vigilance officials entered the water and managed to apprehend him.The chemically treated bribe money was subsequently recovered from the pond.According to Sambalpur Vigilance SP Pradyumna Dwivedi, a dispute between two neighbouring families in a village under Mahulpali police station limits had escalated into a physical altercation. One party had approached the police seeking action.Taking advantage of the situation, SI Mahanta allegedly demanded ₹10,000 from the opposite party, promising to settle the matter at the police station instead of forwarding it to court.Unwilling to pay a bribe despite claiming to be innocent, the complainant approached the Vigilance authorities and provided the necessary evidence.Acting on a pre-planned strategy, the Vigilance team caught the SI while he was allegedly accepting the chemically treated money near the police station on Wednesday.Following his arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at his residence and police station chamber. During the search, officials recovered ₹1,50,700 in cash from his residence.A case has been registered with Sambalpur Vigilance, and an investigation is underway into allegations of possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.SI Sujit Kumar Mahanta was directly recruited to the post in 2021…
Odisha Vigilance arrests SI; ₹10,000 bribe recovered
