Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Saturday apprehended a peon of Jeypore special treasury in Koraput district while allegedly taking Rs 47,000 bribe from a woman.

The accused, identified as Harischandra Mohapatra, was nabbed while demanding and taking bribe of Rs 47,000 as 2nd and final instalment of overall demand of Rs 87,000 from the widow of a deceased government employee for facilitating release of arrear pension amounting to Rs3,48,000 in her favour.

Mohapatra had demanded Rs 87,000, 25% of the amount credited, as bribe and received Rs 40,000 as first instalment a few days back. He was still putting pressure on the complainant to pay her the rest amount of bribe Rs 47,000. He threatened to stop release of pension from September, 2025, if the total bribe money was paid, following which the complainant approached Vigilance authorities narrating her harassment.

Acting on the complaint, a team of Vigilance nabbed Mohapatra while taking bribe Rs 47,000 from the complainant. The entire tainted bribe money has been recovered from the possession of Mohapatra and seized.

Following trap, simultaneous searches are going on at two locations of Mohapatra from DA angle. A case has been registered and investigation is underway.