Bhubaneswar: Junior Revenue Assistant (JRA) of the Sub-Collector Office, Jajpur, Prasanna Kumar Sahani has been caught red-handed by Odisha Vigilance while taking a bribe of Rs 40,000 to facilitate permission for purchase of land belonging to a Scheduled Caste owner.
According to a release issued by the Odisha Vigilance, Sahani was apprehended today in his office room while demanding and accepting the bribe from an applicant. The entire tainted money of Rs 40,000 has been recovered from his exclusive possession and seized.
As per law, permission from the competent authority is required to purchase land from SC/ST category persons. The complainant had applied on November 29, 2025, in the office of Sub-Collector, Jajpur, for permission to purchase a 16-decimal plot in favour of his mother. However, Sahani was allegedly delaying the process without any valid reason. Despite repeated requests, he initially demanded Rs 48,000 at the rate of Rs 3,000 per decimal. When the applicant expressed his inability to pay, he reduced the amount to Rs 40,000.
Unable to meet the bribe demand and aggrieved by harassment, the applicant reported the matter to Vigilance. Following the trap, simultaneous searches are underway at two locations linked to Sahani from a disproportionate assets angle.
In this connection, Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No. 37/2026 under Section 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered against the accused. Investigation is in progress.
