Odisha Vigilance officials apprehended G. Prabhakara Patro, the Chief Civil Supplies Officer (CCSO) of Balangir district, on Friday for accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a rice mill owner.
Patro was caught red-handed while
receiving the bribe, intended to clear pending bills and secure a new supply
order.
The case against Patro is
registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act,
2018. Previously, he had demanded Rs 1.80 lakh from the complainant for
clearing bills and placing a fresh rice order.
Six days ago, he allegedly accepted
Rs 1.30 lakh from the complainant and was caught receiving the remaining Rs
50,000 at his Balangir office on Friday afternoon.
Following the complaint from the
mill owner, the Vigilance Department initiated the case against Patro on
Thursday.
Subsequently, searches were
conducted at Patro's properties in Bhubaneswar, Ganjam, and Balangir.
During the search at his Balangir
residence, officials discovered Rs 4.39 lakh in cash and approximately 260
grams of gold.
This incident highlights the
Vigilance Department's ongoing efforts to combat corruption and uphold
transparency in public offices.