Odisha Vigilance Arrests Belaguntha Additional Tahsildar Over Tractor-Release Bribe

Investigators registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018 following a trap that recovered the alleged payoff.

Overview

Kabiraj Sethi, an additional tahsildar in Belaguntha, Ganjam, was arrested on Thursday after a Vigilance trap.
The official had seized a sand-laden tractor on February 5 without entering the action in official records.
The tractor owner submitted documents, after which Sethi collected a Rs 30,000 fine and allegedly sought an extra Rs 10,000.
Vigilance officers acted on the owner's complaint, apprehending Sethi and seizing the marked bribe money from his office.
A formal case was filed at the Berhampur Vigilance police station under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and the probe is underway.