ACSO caught red-handed while taking bribe from farmers’ society

Naresh Chandra PattanayakKeonjhar: Vigilance sleuths on Wednesday caught the assistant civil supplies officer (ACSO) of Champua block in Keonjhar red-handed, while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 from a farmers’ cooperative society.Dhumaram Murmu was caught at his office while allegedly accepting the bribe in connection with the recent procurement of paddy during the current Kharif Marketing Season, Odisha Vigilance department stated in a press release.Sources said that paddy has been procured through Large Area Multipurpose Society (LAMPS) but the ACSO did not pay the dues despite several requests. The ACSO allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 to settle their amount. Later, the managing director of the LAMPS lodged a complaint with the Vigilance department, following which a trap was laid, and simultaneous raids were conducted at different locations to gather evidence of his disproportionate properties.A case has been registered against him at Balasore Vigilance police station under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway.It is alleged that the ACSO had been demanding bribes from several paddy procurement centres in the area. He is set to retire after two years.