Vigilance arrests engineer for accepting Rs 2 lakh bribe

An assistant engineer was arrested by Odishas anti-corruption Vigilance wing in Balasore district for allegedly accepting Rs two lakh bribe from a person to prepare his work bill, officials said on Thursday.

Basudev Prasad Sahu, assistant engineer in R and B section at Soro in Balasore district had demanded illegal gratification of Rs two lakh from Santosh Nayak in order to prepare a bill amounting to Rs one crore in his favour for widening and strengthening of Soro-Chadakamara road, Vigilance officials said.

Following a complaint by Nayak, a trap was laid on Wednesday and the accused assistant engineer was caught red- handed by the officers of Vigilance in his office room while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs two lakh from the complainant, they said.

The bribe money was recovered and seized in the presence of witnesses. His right hand wash as well as wash of the contacted portion of table gave positive chemical reaction, confirming acceptance and handling of bribe money by him, they said.

Sahu was arrested and his office in Soro, his quarter at Bhadrak and house at native village Gujidarada in Bhadrak district were searched, the sources said, adding further investigation was in progress.