Bhubaneswar: An Odisha Finance Service (OFS) officer has been arrested for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000, Vigilance said Wednesday.
The Vigilance sleuths arrested Sarita Barik, who was working as Assistant Commissioner of State Tax, Tuesday, and a case under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, was registered.
“Yesterday, Sarita Barik, OFS-I, Asst. Commissioner of State Tax, Bhubaneswar-IV Circle, was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance for demanding and taking undue advantage (bribe) of Rs 25,000 from an owner of a food product firm for the reversal of ITC (input tax credit) for the tax period of FY 2020-21 and exemption of fine and penalty,” Vigilance said in a statement.
“The bribe money was seized from the possession of Barik in the presence of witnesses,” a Vigilance official said.
Simultaneous searches were also launched at the rented house of Barik at Madhusudan Nagar in Bhubaneswar, as well as in her native village of Budhikhamari, and in Baripada town and her office chamber.
“During searches, the sleuths found Rs 1.45 lakh in cash, gold ornaments weighing 222 gm, bank deposits of around Rs 60 lakh and documents related to the purchase of property in Bhubaneswar,” the official said, adding that further investigation is underway.
PTI