BHUBANESWAR: A forester's complaint led to the arrest of Balugaon forest range officer by Vigilance sleuths after the latter was caught red-handed taking a bribe on Tuesday.
Prasanna Kumar Mohanty, the range officer, had sought Rs 20,000 as illegal gratification from Hemant Kumar Nayak, the forester of Dhuannali Section under Khurda Forest Division.
Nayak had carried out de-weeding work as per the instructions of Mohanty by engaging labourers and submitted vouchers amounting to Rs 65,000 for approval and disbursement. Mohanty credited the amount to accounts of the labourers in November but later asked Nayak to collect Rs 20,000 from the labourers and pay him as bribe.
When the forester showed reluctance, Mohanty called him on December 10 and insisted on the bribe or face the music. Basing on a complaint from Nayak, Mohanty was caught red-handed in his office room at Balugaon while taking bribe.
Mohanty’s ancestral home at Bantala, father-in-law's house at Rameswar and office at Balugaon are being searched.