In a major crackdown on corruption, Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested Sitarani Pattayat, Superintendent of Excise, Keonjhar, and Bijay Kumar Mohanta, ASI-cum-OIC of Champua Excise Station, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a licensed liquor vendor to allow him to operate his business smoothly. Vendor Approaches Vigilance After Months of HarassmentAccording to officials, Pattayat had been demanding regular bribe payments from the vendor ever since she took charge as Excise Superintendent four months ago. Unable to bear continued pressure, the vendor approached Vigilance authorities and filed a formal complaint detailing the alleged harassment and unlawful demands.Also Read: OTV Impact: Odisha Vigilance arrests Junior Engineer in Rs 22 Lakh MGNREGA scamTrap Operation Leads to ArrestActing on the complaint, a special team of Odisha Vigilance laid a trap and caught ASI Mohanta red-handed while accepting the Rs 40k bribe on the telephonic instructions of Pattayat. The entire bribe amount has been recovered and seized. Both officials were immediately apprehended.Searches at Multiple LocationsFollowing the arrests, Vigilance teams launched simultaneous searches atthree locations linked to Smt. Pattayat, and two locations associated with ASI Mohanta, to examine assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.Case Registered, Investigation UnderwayA case under Balasore Vigilance PS Case No. 17/2025, Section 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018, has been registered against both accused officers. Further investigation is in progress.The arrests mark yet another strong message from Odisha Vigilance that corruption within public offices will not be tolerated. With decisive action taken, the case underscores the importance of accountability in ensuring transparent governance.
