Bhubaneswar, February 13 The Odisha Vigilance Department has arrested an additional tahsildar for accepting a bribe from a tractor owner in exchange for releasing his seized vehicle, according to an official statement.
Kabiraj Sethi, an additional tahsildar in Belaguntha, Ganjam district, seized the tractor carrying sand on February 5 without recording it in the official records, the statement said.
Although the owner provided supporting documents, the accused additional tahsildar demanded a bribe in return for releasing the vehicle, it added.
The revenue officer had collected a fine of Rs 30,000 and demanded an additional bribe of Rs 10,000 to release the tractor.
Acting on a complaint from the tractor owner, the Vigilance officers laid a trap and arrested Sethi on Thursday, along with the seized bribe money.
A case has been registered at the Berhampur Vigilance police station under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
