Overview

• Panda, serving as Bamra tahsildar in Sambalpur, allegedly took Rs 15,000 for a land-conversion mutation after first seeking Rs 20,000, according to Odisha Vigilance.
• The bribe was accepted through his office driver, P. Praveen Kumar, who was detained along with Panda, and investigators seized the tainted cash.
• Searches of Panda’s residence and office recovered Rs 4.73 lakh in cash and gold ornaments, Vigilance officials said.
• In a separate operation, Nayagarh District Labour Officer Chittaranjan Rout was arrested for allegedly taking Rs 6,000 to issue 20 labour cards.
• Panchayat Executive Officer Puspita Mahakud was arrested in another case for alleged misappropriation of Rs 5.68 lakh meant for old-age pension disbursal, with further investigation underway.