In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Odisha Vigilance Directorate on Monday arrested two engineers from the state's Lift Irrigation Corporation in Mayurbhanj district. The officials were apprehended while allegedly accepting bribes from a contractor to clear pending bills, with vigilance authorities labeling them as "partners in crime."
The Sting Operation and Arrest
Assistant executive engineer (AEE) Harekrushna Sing (57) and junior engineer (JE) Subrat Mohanty (56) were caught red-handed in their office in the Udala sub-division. The trap was laid after the contractor, frustrated by continuous demands for money, filed a formal complaint with the vigilance wing last week.
Officials stated that both engineers were present in one room of their office when they were caught accepting their respective shares of a Rs 60,000 bribe. AEE Sing was nabbed with Rs 32,000, while JE Mohanty was found with Rs 28,000. The entire bribe money was successfully recovered on the spot.
A Pattern of Escalating Demands
According to vigilance sources, the corruption began at the very inception of a road project worth Rs 25 lakh executed by the contractor. The engineers allegedly insisted on a commission of 4.5% of the total project cost, with the JE demanding 3% and the AEE seeking 1.5%.
Despite the contractor paying bribes at various stages of the work, the demands did not cease. The final straw was the withholding of bills amounting to nearly Rs 5 lakh. To release this payment, the duo allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 1.1 lakh, structured in two installments. The Rs 60,000 caught in the sting was the first part of this demand.
Expanding Investigation and a Wider Problem
Following the arrests, simultaneous searches were conducted at properties linked to both engineers. The aim is to ascertain if they possess assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. A vigilance official confirmed that a deeper probe is underway.
"Work orders executed by them are also under scrutiny. Bank accounts of the engineers and their family members are being verified," the official said. The investigation will determine the full extent of corruption and attempt to recover any illicit wealth.
This case highlights a persistent issue within the state machinery. Odisha vigilance data reveals that government engineers, particularly from works and rural development departments, formed the bulk of arrests last year. In 2025, out of 51 Class-I officers booked, a staggering 36 were engineers, including chief engineers and executive engineers, on charges of bribery, corruption, and possession of disproportionate assets.
