Khordha, May 21: A Male Health Worker (MHW) posted at Haladia Community Health Centre (CHC) in Khordha district was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1,000 from a complainant for facilitating issuance of death certificates of his deceased parents.

The accused has been identified as Bibhuti Bhusan Sahoo, MHW at Haladia CHC. According to Vigilance officials, the complainant had earlier submitted an application before the Sub-Collector, Khordha, seeking death certificates of his parents. Following the application, the Sub-Collector had directed the Registrar of Birth & Death-cum-Medical Officer of Haladia CHC to issue the certificates.

However, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 1,000 from the complainant and refused to process the matter unless the bribe amount was paid.

Unable to bear the alleged harassment, the complainant approached Odisha Vigilance authorities. Acting on the complaint, Vigilance officials laid a trap and caught Sahoo red-handed while accepting the bribe money.

The entire tainted amount of Rs 1,000 was recovered from the possession of the accused and subsequently seized.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches are being conducted at two locations linked to the accused from the disproportionate assets (DA) angle, officials said.

In this connection, Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station Case No. 08 dated May 20, 2026 has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.