Kendrapara, Nov 25: The Odisha Vigilance team has arrested Abhimanyu Behera, an Assistant Revenue Inspector (ARI) of the Nikirei R.I Circle under Derabish Tahsil in Kendrapara district, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 12,000 from a landowner.
According to a statement issued by the Odisha Vigilance, the landowner had submitted an application on October 31, 2025, seeking the conversion of agricultural land to homestead land. Behera initially demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 in exchange for providing a favorable report on the application. However, he later reduced the demand to Rs 12,000.
Upon receiving the bribe demand, the landowner reported the matter to the vigilance authorities, who subsequently set up an operation to catch Behera in the act. The ARI was arrested at his office while accepting the bribe.
The entire amount of Rs 12,000 has been seized, and raids are currently being conducted at two of Behera’s premises as part of the ongoing investigation.
A case has been registered under Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No. 33/2024, and the investigation is continuing.
