Jharsuguda: Vigilance Sleuths Wednesday arrested PHEO food safety officer Samarth Mohanty (29) here on the charge of receiving a bribe of `30, 000.
Mohanty hails from Chintamaneswar under Laxmisagar police limits in Bhubaneswar.
According to sources, Sanjay Kumar Dash and Sangeeta Dash of Purunabasti near here own a firm producing premium herbal products.
A notice was sent to the firm from the PHEO on the charge of producing fake products. On receiving the notice, Sanjay and Sangeeta approached Mohanty. However, Mohanty demanded a bribe of `30,000 to renew the company’s license and withdraw the notice.
Sanjay then took up the matter with Jharsuguda Vigilance division. Vigilance officials registered a case and laid a net to catch Mohanty red-handed.
As per plan, Sanjay gave chemical-laced currency notes of `30,000 to Mohanty at the CDMO’s office. Mohanty received the amount and went inside a bathroom.
Meanwhile, Vigilance sleuths surrounded the bathroom and overpowered Mohanty after he came out tucking the currency notes in his pocket.
Mohanty tried to escape from their clutches, but in vain. A case was registered and Mohanty was produced in a court.
The raid was conducted by Jharsuguda Vigilance DSP Birendra Kumar Naik, Sundargarh DSP Parmeswar Kishan, inspector Sudhanshu Sekhar Pujari and Jogesh Prasad Patel.
According to Vigilance sources, Mohanty was earlier caught by Vigilance while accepting a bribe of `2,000 from Prabhanjan Panigrahy while posted in Berhampur. A case was registered in this connection. PNN
