Odisha IAS officer arrested taking ₹10 lakh bribe; ₹47 lakh more seized from residence

Bhubaneswar, June 9: In a major anti-corruption operation, Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Sunday arrested Dhiman Chakma, the Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district, while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10 lakh from a local businessman. Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, reportedly demanded ₹20 lakh in total, and the seized amount was part of the first installment.

According to the Vigilance Directorate, Chakma summoned the complainant to his official government residence in Dharamgarh. There, he allegedly accepted the ₹10 lakh bribe, personally checked the currency bundles with both hands, and placed them in a drawer of his table. Chemical tests conducted on his hands and the drawer confirmed the presence of bribe money, strengthening the evidence against him.

Subsequent searches at his residence led to the recovery of an additional ₹47 lakh in unaccounted cash. Chakma failed to explain the source of this money, which was seized by the Vigilance team.

A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of Chakma’s involvement in corrupt practices.