Gulumi forester Ashok Nayak in vigilance snare

Balangir: Ashok Kumar Nayak, the Forester of Gulumi Section in Balangir district, landed in Odisha Vigilance net while demanding and taking bribe of Rs 10,000.

The Vigilance sleuths nabbed Nayak while he was taking the bribe from a farmer to allow him for transportation of logs of one teak and one sal tree cut few days back from his own land.

As informed by the Vigilance department, the Forester demanded Rs 10,000 bribe when the farmer sought permission from the Forester for transportation of the wooden logs.

Nayak had reportedly imposed a fine of Rs 2000 on the farmer for cutting the trees without permission as per Government rules. As the farmer was not aware of taking prior permission for cutting two trees from his own land, he agreed to pay the fine amount Rs 2,000.

But Nayak insisted on a bribe Rs 10,000 for allowing permission for transportation of the logs. He also threatened the farmer to take action against him unless he was paid the demanded bribe.

Frustrated with the harassment by Nayak, the farmer reported the matter to the vigilance authorities.  Upon receiving the information, a team of Odisha Vigilance nabbed the Forester today while taking bribe and fine amount Rs 2000 from the farmer.

The total amount Rs 12,000 including the bribe amount Rs 10,000 has been recovered from the possession of accused Forester and seized.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches are going on at two locations of Nayak from Disproportionate Assets (DA) angle.

In this connection, Sambalpur Vigilance P.S. Case No.01 dt.05.01.2026 U/s.7 P.C. (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered against the accused Forester.

Detailed report follows.