Sakhigopal: Vigilance sleuths Saturday arrested a village level worker (VLW) of Algum on the charge of taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a beneficiary at Satyabadi block office here in Khurda district.
He was identified as Bhagban Rath. Simultaneous raids were conducted at his residence and other places following the arrest.
According to sources, a villager Niranjan Biswal of Algum Khandayat Sahi approached Rath to include his family in the socially-economically background community (SEBC) category. However, Rath demanded Rs 20,000 to include him in return. Left with no option, Biswal approached the Vigilance officials and narrated his ordeal after which a trap was laid to arrest Rath red-handed.
As per plan, Biswal took chemical-laced notes worth Rs 20,000 and handed it over to Rath at the block office. Meanwhile, officials in plain-clothes conducted a sudden raid and seized the chemical-laced notes from his possession.
Earlier, Algum and Mahura panchayat GRS were also arrested by Vigilance sleuths. Meanwhile, the Satyabadi block officials were against the Vigilance raid at the block office and staged a demonstration.
