Angul: Vigilance sleuths Wednesday arrested a revenue inspector (RI) while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 1,500 from an applicant at Jarapda block in this district.
The RI was Gokulanand Pradhan, RI of Jarapada block. The officials also seized chemical-laced notes of Rs 1,500 from Pradhan and launched a probe.
A local Ramachandra Behera had approached Pradhan for verification of a legal heir certificate. Pradhan demanded Rs 1,500 from Behera as bribe. Even after repeated pleas, Pradhan would not reduce the amount; neither would he initiate the verification process.
Behera contacted the anti-corruption agency to complain about the bribery demand, following which a trap was laid. He then took the chemical-laced notes of Rs 1,500 and handed this over to Pradhan at his office. Vigilance officials disguised in plain clothes caught him red-handed.
Simultaneous raids were conducted at Pradhan’s office, residential quarters and ancestral home. Pradhan was taken into custody for further interrogation. He would be produced in court, officials said.
PNN
