Bhawanipatna: A team of Vigilance officials arrested Monday child development project officer (CDPO) Puspanjali Rath for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1,00,000. At the time of her arrest, Rath was working at Th Rampur block in Kalahandi district.
According to an official, Rath demanded the bribe from complainant Bira Singh to appoint the latter’s spouse as an Anganwadi worker. The anti-corruption officials laid a trap leading to her arrest. The entire bribe amount has been recovered from Rath, informed an official.
CDPO Rath works under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) project in the district. Based on earlier allegations, Vigilance sleuths also searched her residence at Badapada in this town.
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Subsequently, a case was registered in this connection at Koraput police station by officials of the Vigilance department. Simultaneous raids were also carried out at places linked with the CDPO. “The Vigilance team raided the CDPO’s property at one place in Bolangir district and two localities in Kalahandi district. Further investigation is still underway,” the official informed.
The anti-corruption team comprised Nabarangpur DSP Kalabati Bag, Malkangiri DSP Sushant Biswal and some other officials.
PNN