Bhubaneswar, October 29: At a time when Government officials across the State are taking integrity pledge as part of Vigilance Awareness Week, Titilagarh Assistant CT&GST Officer Umakanta Mahakur was apprehended by the Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday while demanding and taking bribe Rs 12,000 from a businessman to waive off penalty imposed on him for not payment of professional tax for three financial years.

According to a Vigilance Directorate communique, the businessman had not paid the professional tax amounting to Rs 7,500 for three financial years at Rs 2,500 per year. For non-payment of tax, the defaulter businessman was served with a notice by the accused Mahakur to make payment of Rs 23,600 including tax amount along with fine and interest.

On receiving the notice, the businessman met the accused and requested him to receive the tax amount only. But, accused Mahakur refused to accept the only tax amount and demanded bribe Rs 12,000 to waive off fine and interest imposed on him, prompted the businessman to report the matter to Vigilance authorities.

Following this, a team of Odisha Vigilance nabbed Mahakur today, while taking bribe Rs 12,000 from the complainant. The entire tainted bribe money has been recovered from the possession of accused Sri Mahakur and seized.

Following the successful trap, simultaneous searches are going on at locations associated with Mahakur from DA angle.