Odisha Tax Official Arrested for Bribery; Rs 60 Lakh in Assets Seized

Bhubaneswar, Aug 27(OT Webdesk) — Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday arrested Sarita Barik, Assistant Commissioner of State Tax (OFS-I), Bhubaneswar-IV Circle, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a food products firm owner.

The arrest followed a complaint that Barik demanded the bribe in exchange for waiving a penalty of Rs 2.27 lakh related to Input Tax Credit (ITC) reversal from FY 2020–21.

Barik was caught red-handed inside her car near a coaching institute in Bhubaneswar.

Following her arrest, Vigilance teams conducted simultaneous raids at three locations linked to her, uncovering disproportionate assets including Rs 1.45 lakh in cash, 222 grams of gold, and bank deposits totalling Rs 60 lakh. Investigators also recovered jewellery bills and property documents from her rented residence.

She has been formally arrested and will be presented before the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Court. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. The investigation is ongoing.