Bhubaneswar: A tax collector of Padampur Notified Area Council (NAC) in Bargarh district was arrested while he was receiving a bribe of Rs 25,000 on Thursday. The ULB personnel, Dinabandhu Panda was apprehended by the Vigilance while he was receiving the graft money from a person for transfer of holding number and reduction of annual holding tax.
The complainant in this case, had purchased a building and had approached the Tax Collector to carry out the transfer of holding number. Basing on the complaint, the Vigilance laid a trap and caught Panda red handed with the bribe money in his office chamber at NAC Padampur.
The entire bribe money was recovered from the possession of Panda and seized in presence of witnesses. The handwash of Panda gave positive chemical reaction, confirming acceptance and handling of bribe money by him. Following the trap, simultaneous searches have been launched at multiple locations, the Vigilance said.
According to reports, searches are being carried out in the residential house of Panda at Thanapada in Padampur and office room at office of NAC Padampur. He has been arrested and is being forwarded to the Court. Panda has been booked under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act.
