Begunia DEO Caught Red-Handed Taking Rs 8,000 Bribe for Land Conversion
Khordha,– October 15, 2025: In a decisive move against corruption, Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested Smruti Jayashree, a Data Entry Operator (DEO) at the Begunia Tahasil office in Khordha district, for accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from a land conversion applicant.
According to officials, the complainant had submitted an online application on September 1, 2025, seeking conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural use. Instead of processing the request through official digital channels, the DEO allegedly demanded a bribe to initiate the file.
Acting on the complaint, a vigilance team laid a trap and caught Jayashree red-handed while accepting the bribe.
The tainted money was recovered from her possession. Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at two locations linked to the accused to investigate possible disproportionate assets.
A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, at the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station.
Odisha Vigilance reiterated its commitment to rooting out corruption, especially in sensitive areas like land conversion, and emphasised the importance of transparency in digital governance.
