Sambalpur, November 4: In a dramatic anti-corruption operation, a police Sub-Inspector, after allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000, jumped into a nearby pond to escape an Odisha Vigilance team but was chased into the water and apprehended by Vigilance sleuths.

The accused, Sujit Kumar Mohanta, Sub-Inspector of Police at Mahulpali Police Station in Sambalpur district, was caught red-handed on Wednesday evening while allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 10,000 from a complainant for finalising a miscellaneous case registered against him at the police station.

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According to Odisha Vigilance, Mohanta was the investigating officer (IO) of the case and demanded bribe of Rs 10,000 settle the case. Accordingly, he called the complainant to an isolated spot outside the police station to receive the bribe amount. 

Immediately after accepting the bribe, Mohanta noticed vigilance team and in a desperate bid to escape, he jumped into a nearby pond. However, one of the members of the the anti-graft agency chased him into the water, and successfully apprehended him.

The entire bribe amount of Rs 10,000 was recovered from his possession.

Following the dramatic trap, Odisha Vigilance initiated searches at locations linked to the accused to investigate possible possession of disproportionate assets. During the searches, Rs 1,55,700 in cash was recovered from his rest room on the police station premises.

A case was registered against the accused cop at the Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.