Bhubaneswar, June 18: Vigilance sleuths on Thursday nabbed a forester for taking a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a tractor owner.
Accused Rakesh Kumar Panda, Forester, Ankui under Delang Range of Puri district was caught red handed by the anti-corruption wing officials while he was demanding and taking the bribe from the tractor owner to allow his tractor to pass through a forest road carrying excavated earth to be dumped on his field.
According to Vigilance sleuths, the accused Forester had earlier threatened the victim that the vehicle would be seized if it was found using the forest road without prior permission. He demanded a bribe of Rs 25,000 to allow him to use the forest road.
Upset over the illegal approach of the Forester, the tractor owner reported the matter to Vigilance authorities. Following this, a team of Odisha Vigilance, nabbed Panda today while he taking bribe Rs 25,000 from the complainant.
“The entire tainted bribe money Rs 25,000 has been recovered from the possession of accused Panda and seized,” said a Vigilance release.
Following the trap, simultaneous searches underway at two locations linked to Panda on possible disproportionate assets.
