Land officer held for bribery

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Monday apprehended a Special Land Acquisition officer after he was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe of Rs 3.10 lakh from a land oustee in Anugola for the release of land acquisition compensation amount of Rs 84.62 lakh.

According to the official statement by the Odisha Vigilance, the accused official, Ajay Kumar Garanaik, is presently posted as Special Land Acquisition Officer, Sambalpur-Talcher Doubling Rail Line Project in Sambalpur. The agency further stated that Garanaik was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from the landowner (complainant).

The bribe was allegedly sought in lieu of facilitating the release of Rs 84,62,288 towards land acquisition compensation and assuring favourable consideration of the landowner’s claims for further compensation in connection with the proposed third railway line project.

“Garanaik had demanded a bribe of Rs 5.10 lakh from the complainant. He received Rs 2 lakh a few days back, on October 27, and demanded the rest, Rs 3.10 lakh, to be paid immediately. Garanaik also threatened the complainant landowner that unless he was paid the rest bribe amount of Rs 3.10 lakh, he (Garanaik) would create problems during his future land acquisition for third railway line project,” said the Odisha Vigilance.

Garanaik’s insistence and threats irked the complainant and, finding no other means, he reported the whole matter to Vigilance authorities, narrating harassment by Garanaik.

Acting on his complaint, a team of Odisha Vigilance nabbed Garanaik while taking the balance amount of bribe Rs 3.10 lakh from the complainant in Anugola on Monday. The tainted bribe money of Rs.3,10,000 has also been recovered from the possession of accused Garanaik and seized by sleuths.

Following the successful trap, simultaneous searches are going on at three locations linked to Garanaik over suspicion of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. In this connection, a case has been registered at the Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station on November 1 under Section 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018. Odisha Vigilance stated that the investigation against the accused, Garanaik, is underway and that a detailed report will be submitted upon its completion.

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