Odisha Vigilance Nabs Deputy Forest Ranger While Accepting ₹1 Lakh Bribe

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: Odisha Vigilance on Thursday apprehended Mousumi Behera, Deputy Forest Ranger of Phulnakhara under the City Forest Division, Bhubaneswar, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh from a staff member of the same range.

According to a Vigilance release, Behera had allegedly demanded the bribe in exchange for releasing bills related to the maintenance of three plantation sites, including watch and ward, watering and fertiliser work, for the period from July to September 2026.

She allegedly threatened to withhold bills for the upcoming months if the bribe was not paid. Unable to meet the demand, the aggrieved staff member approached Vigilance authorities.

Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught Behera while she was allegedly accepting the bribe. The entire amount of ₹1 lakh was recovered from her possession and seized.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches are underway at two locations linked to the accused to investigate possible possession of assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.

In this connection, Vigilance Cell Police Station Case No. 09, dated October 28, 2026, has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.