Angul: Police Monday arrested a youth on the charge of taking a bribe of `1,000 to issue an Aadhaar card here in the district. He was identified as Vivekananda Pradhan.
The matter came to light after a social worker Brahmajyoti Mishra recorded the act and brought it to the notice of the district collector. Sources said Mishra reached the Aadhaar office for corrections to his Aadhaar card.
However, officials paid no heed to Mishra’s queries. Later, Vivekananda called Mishra and demanded `1,000 for the corrections. However, Mishra bargained and reduced the bribe to `500. Later, Vivekananda took Mishra to a corner after finalising the bribe amount. He took out a laptop, finger printing machine, a retina scanner and a camera and took Mishra’s picture.
Later, he handed over the corrected Aadhaar card to Mishra. Once finished, Mishra deposited `500 and demanded a bill of the same. However, Vivekananda pocketed the amount and refused to give him a bill.
Later, Mishra who had recorded the whole act along with his co-workers brought the matter to the notice of additional collector Srinibas Behera. On learning the incident, Behera called Vivekananda and interrogated him.
He later alerted Angul police who reached the collectorate and detained Vivekananda for interrogation. Police registered a case over a written complaint by Mishra and began a probe into the matter.
An organisation had taken the tender of Aadhaar card correction in the block. Vivekananda worked for the organisation, sources said. PNN
