Bhubaneswar, July 7: Odisha Vigilance on Monday arrested Dr. Siba Prasad Sethi, Medical Officer at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kujang of Jagatsinghpur district for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 from a complainant in exchange for a favourable post-mortem report.
According to Vigilance officials, Dr. Sethi had conducted the autopsy of a woman who had reportedly died due to food poisoning. The complainant, the husband of the deceased, had been requesting an early release of the post-mortem report to proceed with insurance formalities. However, as the death occurred within seven years of marriage, the case required further scrutiny under legal provisions.
Taking undue advantage of the situation, Dr. Sethi allegedly demanded ₹10,000 from the complainant to issue a "favourable" and prompt post-mortem report. Left with no alternative, the complainant reported the matter to the Vigilance Department.
Following the complaint, a trap was laid today. Dr. Sethi was caught red-handed by Odisha Vigilance officials inside his private clinic in Cuttack, while accepting the bribe through his receptionist. The entire bribe amount was recovered from the spot in the presence of independent witnesses.
Subsequently, simultaneous searches were carried out at multiple locations linked to the accused, including his rented residence at Maitrivihar, flat at Mahavir Apartment in Cuttack, his paternal home in Erasama (Jagatsinghpur), his office chamber at CHC Kujang, and his private clinic at Mahanadi Vihar, Cuttack.
Dr. Sethi has been arrested and will be produced before the court. A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 at the Cuttack Vigilance Police Station (Case No. 19/2025).
