BEO Office Clerk in Kendrapara Caught Taking ₹15,000 Bribe

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday arrested a junior clerk of the Block Education Officer’s (BEO) office in Mahakalpada, Kendrapara district, for allegedly accepting a ₹15,000 bribe from a headmaster.

The accused, Narayan Prasad Lenka, had reportedly demanded the money to process the final instalment of a ₹6.20 lakh housing loan and clear the complainant’s pending salary, travel allowance bills, and other dues. Vigilance officials said Lenka had been deliberately delaying the file and refused to release the payments without the bribe.

Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team set up a trap and caught Lenka at Canal Road, Marshaghai, while he was receiving the bribe. The entire amount was recovered from his possession and seized.

Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at three locations linked to Lenka to trace any disproportionate assets. The Cuttack Vigilance Police Station has registered a case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is ongoing.