Rayagada (Reporterspen): Purnachandra Chaudhury, a Junior Engineer of Kashipur Block in Rayagada district, was caught red-handed by the Vigilance team while accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000. He was caught at his residence in Forest Colony Lane in Rayagada city in the evening when he was taking the bribe from the complainant, a Gram Sathi Field Assistant. As per the pre-planned operation, the Vigilance team apprehended the Junior Engineer and seized the chemical-coated bribe money given by the complainant.
The Junior Engineer, Mr. Chaudhury, had demanded the bribe of Rs 25,000 in exchange for clearing a bill related to a road construction project under the MGNREGA scheme near Mandibisi village in Kashipur Block. The Gram Sathi Field Assistant reported the matter to the Vigilance Department, following which the department planned and executed the operation. A 15-member team, led by Jeypore Vigilance DSP Arun Kumar Nayak, conducted the raid after lying in wait in Rayagada for two days.
At the time of the raid, Mr. Chaudhury was returning home from a development meeting at the Zilla Parishad Office. After being caught red-handed by the Vigilance team, Mr. Chaudhury feigned illness, and he was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital for a medical examination. Following the examination, Mr. Chaudhury was admitted to the hospital.
The Junior Engineer tried to justify the bribe, claiming that the Field Assistant had borrowed the money from him and was returning it. While a Vigilance team is monitoring Mr. Chaudhury at the hospital, another team is guarding his residence. The Vigilance officials have stated that the investigation will continue once the Junior Engineer’s health condition stabilizes. The raid involved several Vigilance officers, including Inspectors Sanjay Pradhan, Savitri Pradhan, Sarita Tripathi, and Tarulata Behera.
