Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday apprehended a Revenue Inspector (RI) in Koraput district while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 4,000 from a beneficiary of the state government’s Matsya Pokhari Yojana.
The accused, identified as Sailabala Naik, Revenue Inspector of Kosaguda RI Circle under Borigumma Tahasil in Koraput district, was caught red-handed while allegedly demanding and accepting the bribe for issuing trace maps required by beneficiaries to avail subsidy assistance under the Fisheries Department’s fish farming scheme.
According to Vigilance officials, the complainant and several other beneficiaries had applied for subsidy support under the Matsya Pokhari Yojana for fish farming activities. As part of the application process, the Fisheries Department required trace maps of the beneficiaries’ farm ponds. The applicants had sought copies of the trace maps relating to their respective lands where ponds had already been excavated.
However, Naik allegedly demanded Rs. 4,000 from the complainant for issuing the trace maps. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the beneficiary approached Odisha Vigilance authorities and lodged a complaint.
Acting on the complaint, Vigilance officials laid a trap and apprehended Naik while she was allegedly receiving the bribe amount. The entire tainted money of Rs. 4,000 was recovered from her possession and seized as evidence.
Following the trap, Vigilance teams launched simultaneous searches at two locations linked to the accused to investigate possible disproportionate assets.
A case has been registered under Koraput Vigilance Police Station Case No. 10/2026 under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.
