Suspended IAS officer Dhiman Chakma moves Orissa High Court for bail

Bhubaneswar, June 20: Dhiman Chakma, a suspended IAS officer and former Dharamgarh Sub-Collector, has approached the Orissa High Court seeking bail in a high-profile corruption case. Chakma is currently lodged in judicial custody after being arrested by Odisha Vigilance on June 8 for allegedly demanding a ₹20 lakh bribe from a local businessman operating stone crusher units in his jurisdiction.

The 2021-batch officer was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a part payment of ₹10 lakh at his official residence in Dharamgarh. During subsequent raids, Vigilance officials recovered an additional ₹47 lakh in unaccounted cash from his premises. Following the arrest, he was placed under suspension on June 10. His earlier bail plea was rejected by the Special Vigilance Court in Bhawanipatna.

As part of its ongoing investigation, Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday expanded its probe to other states. Searches were carried out at Chakma’s residence in Kanchanpur, Tripura, and at his in-laws' properties in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. The teams examined documents related to his bank deposits, share investments, and property holdings, aiming to uncover the extent of his accumulated assets and financial transactions over recent years.