SAMBALPUR: The additional tehsildar of Kuchinda, who was caught by Vigilance officials in a bribery case, on Sunday alleged involvement of Health Minister Naba Kisore Das in the incident.The officer, Sarada Maharana, was apprehended on Saturday for accepting a bribe of Rs 1.2 lakh to release a seized vehicle. Talking to mediapersons ahead of her arrest, Maharana alleged that the Minister was pressurising her to release the vehicle.
“Throughout my career, I have carried out enforcement activities stringently. Because of this, I have also made a lot of enemies. In this case, I was pressurised by Minister Naba Das. I am being falsely implicated in the Vigilance case and it is an attempt to malign my image and credibility,” she claimed.
Regarding the seizure of the bribe amount, Maharana said the man whose vehicle was seized had agreed to pay the fine amount of Rs 5 lakh in phases. In the first phase, he paid Rs 1.2 lakh and also submitted an undertaking promising to pay the rest amount soon. “I will fully cooperate with Vigilance officials during the course of investigation,” Maharana added. On the day, the additional tehsildar was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody till May 21.