TPCODL staffer nabbed for taking bribe

Bhubaneswar: Vigilance sleuths on Saturday nabbed a Tata Power Distribution (TPCODL) staffer while taking a bribe of Rs 15,000 for replacement of a damaged electricity pole in Cuttack. The employee has been identified as Dharma Niranjan Chaudhury, a lineman serving under Narasinghpur electrical section.

Vigilance officials said Chaudhury demanded Rs 25,000 for replacement of the pole. Earlier, he took Rs 8,000 through UPI. “He demanded Rs 25,000 from a farmer for replacement of a damaged electric pole from his agricultural land. Since the 11-KV line passed over his land and one damaged electric pole was there in dangerous condition, fearing any untoward incident, the farmer requested local electric office for replacement. Lineman Chaudhury was tasked with the work. For the change of electric pole, Chaudhury demanded the bribe,” a vigilance officer said.

The officer said initially, the lineman took Rs 8,000 through UPI and demanded that remaining Rs 17,000 be paid to him. But, the farmer expressed his inability to pay the rest. Chaudhury reduced the bribe amount to Rs 15,000. Being aggrieved over the matter, the farmer reported the matter to vigilance authorities alleging harassment.

“The entire bribe amount of Rs 15,000 has been recovered from exclusive possession of Chaudhury and it was seized,” vigilance officials claimed. Following the trap, vigilance carried out search at a location of Chaudhury under disproportionate asset angle.