Assistant Engineer in Vigilance Snare

Koraput: Lamtaput Block Assistant Engineer (AE) Suchismita Parija was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance while demanding and taking bribe on Tuesday.

The Vigilance sleuths apprehended Parija while she was taking a bribe of Rs 8000 as final installment of her overall demand of bribe Rs 15,000 from a complainant (village mate) in her residential government quarter situated at Lamtaput for facilitating the release of payment of bill in favour of the labours engaged by the complainant in Ghat Cutting work under MGNREGA scheme.

Earlier, the accused AE had received Rs 5,000 a few days back from the complainant and was insisting the complainant to pay the remaining amount Rs 10,000 (later reduced to Rs 8,000) to release the bill.

Left with no other option, the complainant reported the matter to vigilance authorities, alleging harassment by the AE. Following this, the Vigilance sleuths nabbed the AE today while taking rest bribe money.

The entire tainted bribe money of Rs 8,000 has been recovered from the possession of accused Assistant Engineer and seized. Following the trap, simultaneous searches are going on at three locations linked to her from Disproportionate Assets (DA) angle.

In this connection, Koraput Vigilance PS Case No 22 dated 09.06. 2025 U/s 7 PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered. Further investigation is in progress against accused the AE.