JAGATSINGHPUR: Jagatsinghpur collector J Sonal on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to district labour officer (welfare) Smrutirekha Nayak for her alleged involvement in corruption after an audio clip of a data entry operator (DEO) demanding bribe went viral on social media.
On December 21 last year, an audio clip of a woman demanding bribe to move a file in the district labour office went viral on social media. After coming across the viral clip, labour officials suspected that the woman might be Puspita Sarangi who was working as the DEO on an outsourcing basis.
Subsequently, divisional labour commissioner (DLC), Jagatsinghpur Baba Anandranjan Das launched an investigation into the incident. During inquiry, it came to light that Dhurba Paital, a registered construction worker, of Dua village under Balikuda police limits had applied for education assistance for his daughter. He later received Rs 96,000 as educational assistance. Thereafter, he applied twice for education assistance, one for his daughter and another for his son.
When Paital visited the labour office, to enquire about the status of his applications, DEO Sarangi allegedly demanded Rs 20,000 as bribe for the previously sanctioned assistance. When Paital did not pay the amount, Sarangi sought Rs 16,000 over phone, reportedly using the names of Nayak and assistant labour officers.
Sources said as per provisions under the Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana (NSKY), education assistance is required to be sanctioned within 45 days of application. However, no sanction was made within the stipulated period. Due to non-payment of the alleged bribe, the applicant was reportedly shown as deceased, rendering him ineligible for the education assistance.
After the incident came to light, collector Sonal issued the show-cause notice asking Nayak to submit an explanation within two days as to why appropriate action should not be taken against her.
On the other hand, the district labour officer has lodged an FIR against the DEO for allegedly collecting bribes. Additional IIC of Jagatsinghpur Tapaswini Kanungo said police have registered a case against Sarangi under sections 318 (4), 308 (2) and 61 of BNS. “No arrests have been made so far and investigation is underway,” she added.
DLC Das said, “I have forwarded the inquiry report to the labour commissioner for necessary action against the errant DEO. She has also been barred from attending the office.”