Kuchinda Addl Tahasildar Arrested By Odisha Vigilance In Bribery Case

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance Department has arrested Kuchinda Additional Tahasildar Sarada Maharana in a bribery case. She was caught in a trap case by the vigilance sleuths yesterday. She has been remanded to jail custody till 21t May 2022.

Sarada Maharana has been arrested for demanding and accepting undue advantage (bribe) of Rs.1,20,000 from a complainant to reduce the penalty towards release of his seized vehicle. In this connection, Sambalpur Vigilance P.S. Case No.18 dated 06.05.2022 U/s 7 PC Act, 1988 as amended by PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered and is under investigation.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches were conducted by Odisha Vigilance on the Government residential quarter of Maharana at Kuchinda, her Father-in-law’s house at Nayapatna, Chandabali, and parental house at Ambedkarnagar, Rourkela.

During searches, the Vigilance Department officials unearthed assets including:

1. Cash Rs.3,03,610/-

2. One plot measuring an area Ac 0.165.28 dec vide plot No-1014/2062 at Niali, Adaspur, Dist-Cuttack worth Rs.46 Lakh as per Registered Sale Deed (RSD). Undervaluation of the plot during registration is suspected. A thorough probe has been initiated in this regard.

3. One plot measuring an area Ac 0.117 dec vide plot No-145, 146, 147 at Niali, Adaspur, Dist-Cuttack worth Rs.7.5 Lakh as per Registered Sale Deed. Undervaluation of the plot during registration is suspected. A thorough probe has been initiated in this regard.

4. One plot measuring an area Ac 0.07 dec vide plot No-344/P, Khata No-207 at Kuanrmunda, Sundargarh worth Rs.2.5 Lakh as per Registered Sale Deed. Undervaluation of the plot during registration is suspected. A thorough probe has been initiated in this regard.

5. Bank and Insurance deposits worth over Rs.12.93 Lakh.

6. 1 four wheeler (Swift VXI) worth Rs.6.40 Lakh.

She had joined Government service as Revenue Inspector (RI) in 2012 and served till 2019. Thereafter, on joining Odisha Revenue Service in 2019, she joined as Addl. Tahasildar, Kuchinda, Sambalpur after training and was continuing as such. The source of the assets is being verified. Unearthing of more assets is likely and overall valuation is likely to increase. Enquiry is in progress.