Bhubaneswar/Sonepur: Vigilance sleuths Wednesday arrested an assistant executive engineer (AEE) in Bolangir district while accepting Rs 50,000 bribe. Vigilance sources said Sujeet Kumar Padhy, AEE (Class-I) of Patnagarh RW sub-division in Bolangir, was taken into custody when he was receiving Rs 50,000 from a contractor for facilitating the release of his final bill towards a government construction project executed by him. “Despite the completion of the project, the AEE was not clearing the bills. He had sought Rs 1 lakh from the contractor to clear the bills. With no way out, the contractor gave Rs 50,000 a few days back and requested him to clear the bills.
However, Padhy demanded the rest amount for processing the bills,” Vigilance sources said quoting the contractor. The contractor approached the Vigilance following which a trap was laid and the AEE was nabbed while receiving Rs 50,000 from the complainant at his office chamber Wednesday afternoon, they said. “The entire bribe money was recovered from the possession of the AEE and seized in the presence of witnesses. The right-hand wash Padhy gave a positive chemical reaction, confirming his acceptance and handling of bribe money by him.
Following the trap, simultaneous searches have been launched at multiple locations related to the AEE,” they said. A case (17/2024) in this regard has been registered at the Sambalpur Vigilance PS under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Padhy entered into government service April 26, 2021 as a direct recruit through OPSC. His service was placed under the disposal of RD department by the Works department June 7, 2021. He joined as AEE, Rural Works sub-division, Patnagarh September 1, 2021, they pointed out.