Latest news with #OdishaVigilanceDepartment
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Odisha IAS officer Dhiman Chakma caught accepting ₹10 lakh bribe
Dhiman Chakma, a Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh in Odisha's Kalahandi district, was caught on Monday allegedly accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe from a local businessman, according to the Odisha Vigilance Department. M Radhakrishna, SP (Vigilance), said that Chakma was presented before the special vigilance court in Bhawanipatna, which denied his bail request and sent him to 14 days of judicial custody. Following the arrest, officials conducted searches at Chakma's government residence, where an additional ₹47 lakh in cash was recovered. Investigations are ongoing, the department said in a release. 'During the search, ₹47 lakh in cash was found from his quarters at Dharamgarh. As he could not give any satisfactory explanation regarding such huge cash, the same was seized,' Radhakrishna said. According to the Vigilance Department, Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, allegedly demanded a total bribe of ₹20 lakh and threatened to take action against the businessman's enterprise if payment was not made. The Vigilance Department wrote on X: 'Today, Sri Dhiman Chakma, IAS (2021 batch), Sub-Collector, Dharamgarh, #Kalahandi, has been nabbed while taking a bribe of Rs. 10 Lakh from a businessman, threatening to act against his business otherwise. Further, ₹47 lakh cash was recovered during the search at his government's residence.' It further added: 'The overall bribe demanded was ₹20 lakh, & this was the 1st instalment. In this connection, Vigilance Cell PS Case No. 6 /2025 U/s 7 P. C. Act, 1988 as amended by P. C. (Amd) Act, 2018 has been registered. Investigation continues.' A video shared by the vigilance department showed currency notes recovered from Chakma's residence spread out on a bed as officials continued their search. Chakma called the complainant to his official residence According to a vigilance statement, 2021-batch IAS officer Dhiman Chakma allegedly threatened a local businessman, demanding ₹20 lakh to avoid action against him. The businessman reported the demand to Vigilance authorities, prompting officials to lay a trap on the night of June 8, 2025. 'Based on the complaint, a trap was laid on June 8, 2025, night, wherein accused Dhiman Chakma was nabbed by a team of Odisha Vigilance in his government quarters at Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district,' the statement said. It added that Chakma was caught red-handed accepting ₹10 lakh — the first instalment of the bribe — which was recovered from his possession in the presence of witnesses. The IAS officer was caught "red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹10 lakh from a local businessman," the department said in the release. The accused Sub-Collector called the complainant to his official government residence at Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount, verified the '26 number of 100-note bundles of different denominations with both his hands, and kept the same inside his residence office table drawer.' Both hand wash and table drawer wash 'gave a positive chemical reaction,' the release said. A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). More details are awaited as the probe continues. The SP said a case has been registered against IAS officer Dhiman Chakma under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Chakma initially joined the Odisha cadre as a 2019-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. After completing his training, he served as Additional Chief Conservator at Baripada in Mayurbhanj from June 2021. He later cleared the civil services examination in 2021, was appointed as an IAS officer, and assigned to the Odisha cadre. Following training, Chakma took charge as Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district in January 2024, the official added. (With PTI, ANI inputs)
India Gazette
a day ago
- India Gazette
IAS officer caught accepting bribe of Rs 10 lakh in Odisha
Kalahandi (Odisha) [India], June 9 (ANI): Dhiman Chakma, Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district, was caught red-handed on Monday while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman, according to the Odisha Vigilance Department. During further searches at his residence, an additional Rs 47 lakh in cash was recovered and Investigations are ongoing, a release said. Chakma, the 2021-batch IAS officer, had allegedly demanded a total of Rs 20 lakh as a bribe, threatening to take action against the businessman's enterprise if the payment was not made, the Odisha Vigilance said in a release. Chakma called the complainant to his official residence in Dharamgarh, where he accepted Rs. 10 lakh as the first instalment, it said. The IAS officer was caught 'red handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman,' the department said in the release. The accused Sub Collector called the complainant to his official government residence at Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount, verified the 26 number of 100-note bundles of different denominations with both his hands, and kept the same inside his residence office table drawer. Both hand wash and table drawer wash gave a positive chemical reaction, the release said. A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). More details are awaited as the probe continues. (ANI)
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
Senior Civil Servant Arrested In Odisha For Accepting Rs 10 Lakh Bribe, Additional Rs 47 Lakh Found At Residence
The Odisha Vigilance Department apprehended Dhiman Chakma, a 2021-batch Indian Administrative Service officer serving as Sub-Collector in Kalahandi district, on Sunday for allegedly receiving a Rs 10 lakh bribe payment. The arrest occurred as part of a larger Rs 20 lakh extortion scheme targeting a local business owner. The complainant businessman reported that Chakma had demanded the substantial sum under threat of taking punitive action against his commercial operations. According to the filed complaint, the civil servant summoned the businessman to his official government quarters in Dharamgarh to collect the illicit payment. Anti-corruption officials detailed how the mid-30s officer received the bribe money and secured it within a table drawer at his residence. The vigilance team observed Chakma methodically counting 26 bundles of Rs 100 denomination notes before storing the cash in his office table drawer. "The officer called the complainant to his official government residence at Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount and kept the same inside his table drawer," the vigilance department stated, as reported by PTI news agency. During subsequent searches of Chakma's official residence, investigators discovered approximately Rs 47 lakh in additional cash, significantly expanding the scope of the corruption investigation. The substantial amount found during the raid suggests a pattern of corrupt practices beyond the immediate bribery incident. Authorities have formally charged the IAS officer under applicable provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, following his arrest and the cash seizure from his government accommodation. The legislation provides enhanced penalties for public servants found guilty of accepting bribes or engaging in corrupt practices. The case highlights ongoing challenges with corruption among India's civil service ranks, particularly involving relatively junior officers who hold significant administrative power at the district level. Sub-Collectors typically oversee revenue administration, land records, and various licensing functions that directly impact local businesses. Officials confirmed that comprehensive investigations against Chakma are continuing, suggesting authorities are examining whether additional victims or corrupt transactions may be involved. The vigilance department's successful operation demonstrates active monitoring of potential corruption cases within the state administration.
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Odisha IAS officer caught accepting Rs 10 lakh bribe, half of amount demanded
The Odisha Vigilance Department on Sunday caught Dhiman Chakma, a 2021 batch IAS officer, while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh. Chakma, posted as a Sub-Collector in Odisha's Kalahandi district, had demanded Rs 20 lakh from a local businessman, and was allegedly accepting a part instalment of the businessman, who filed a complaint against Chakma, alleged that the IAS officer threatened to act against his business if he did not pay him the amount to the complaint, the Sub-Collector called him to his official government residence in Odisha's Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount, and put it inside a table drawer there. Chakma, in his mid-30s, 'called the complainant to his official government residence at Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount and kept the same inside his table drawer', news agency PTI quoted the vigilance department as officer allegedly counted all 26 bundles of Rs 100 notes of different denominations and then placed the cash inside the drawer of his residence office table. The Vigilance Department also recovered around Rs 47 lakh worth of cash during searches from his official the IAS officer's arrest and the cash recovery from his house, a case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, investigation against Chakma is underway, the officials said. IN THIS STORY#Odisha
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
IAS officer caught while 'accepting bribe' of ₹10 lakh in Odisha
The Odisha Vigilance Department on Sunday caught an IAS officer allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10 lakh from a businessman, an official release said. Raids are underway at his official residence, from where ₹47 lakh cash has already been recovered, it said. 'The IAS officer, who is posted as sub-collector, Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district, has been caught red handed while demanding and accepting bribe of ₹10 lakh from a local businessman, as an instalment of the overall demand of ₹20 lakh bribe…,' the department said in the release. The accused officer, in his mid-30s, 'called the complainant to his official government residence at Dharamgarh, received the bribe amount… and kept the same inside his table drawer', it said. The department has registered a case against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and investigation is continuing, the release added.
