Rourkela: The Odisha Vigilance arrested a Deputy Ranger on charges of demanding and accepting bribe of ₹18,000 from a vehicle owner to release money towards hiring of his vehicle for official purposes.

Deputy Ranger Asit Pattanayak who works with Bisra Forest Range under the Rourkela Forest Division in Sundargarh district was taking bribe amount to release hire charges of his vehicle for the month of April-2025. He also assured the vehicle owner to re-engage the concerend vehicle for official use from May 1, 2025.  

Finding no other option, the vehicle owner filed a complaint before the Odisha Vigilance. 

On basis of this, a team of Vigilance officials laid a trap and nabbed today the accused Deputy Ranger while accepting the bribe amount. The Vigilance also recovered the entire bribe amount from the accused's possession and seized. 

Simultaneous searches have also been conducted at four locations linked to Pattanayak on disproportionate assets angle. 

In this connection, Rourkela Vigilance PS Case No. 07 dt.20.05.2025, U/s 7 PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered. Further investigation is going on into the case.