📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Praptipanigrahi
Crime
Sambalpur Land Acquisition Officer Arrested for Accepting Rs 5.10 Lakh Bribe
✍️ Pragativadi
🗓 05 Nov 2026, 08:31 AM
👁 16
A land acquisition officer in Sambalpur, Odisha, was taken into custody after investigators uncovered a bribe of Rs 5.10 lakh linked to his official duties.
The Sambalpur district administration confirmed that a senior land acquisition officer was arrested on suspicion of receiving a cash bribe amounting to Rs 5.10 lakh. The arrest was carried out by the state anti-corruption bureau following a preliminary inquiry that revealed irregularities in the officer's handling of land acquisition cases.
According to officials, the alleged payment was made by a private party seeking favorable treatment in a pending land acquisition process. The officer is accused of abusing his authority to expedite the transaction in exchange for the cash, violating the Land Acquisition Act and anti-corruption statutes.
The case has been forwarded to the Sambalpur Sessions Court, where the officer will face charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption, and abuse of official position. The anti-corruption bureau has also launched a broader probe to determine if other officials were involved.
State authorities have urged the public to report any similar instances of corruption in land deals, emphasizing a zero‑tolerance policy toward graft in public offices.
According to officials, the alleged payment was made by a private party seeking favorable treatment in a pending land acquisition process. The officer is accused of abusing his authority to expedite the transaction in exchange for the cash, violating the Land Acquisition Act and anti-corruption statutes.
The case has been forwarded to the Sambalpur Sessions Court, where the officer will face charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption, and abuse of official position. The anti-corruption bureau has also launched a broader probe to determine if other officials were involved.
State authorities have urged the public to report any similar instances of corruption in land deals, emphasizing a zero‑tolerance policy toward graft in public offices.