Bhubaneswar, 13 August (H.S.) Kunja Bihari Rout, Male Health Worker (MHW) and Clerk at Muniguda Community Health Centre (CHC), District Rayagada, was apprehended today by Odisha Vigilance officials while accepting a bribe for issuing a birth certificate.

Sri Rout was caught red-handed while demanding and receiving the second and final installment of Rs 3,000 as part of an overall bribe amounting to Rs 6,000 from a poor farmer seeking a birth certificate for his son. The complainant had already paid Rs 3,000 a few days earlier but was coerced to pay the remaining amount to obtain the certificate.

Facing harassment and extortion, the complainant approached the Vigilance authorities. Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team set a trap and arrested Sri Rout during the final bribe transaction. The entire sum of Rs 6,000, recovered from the accused, has been seized as evidence.

Following the arrest, simultaneous searches are underway at two locations linked to Sri Rout for possible disproportionate assets.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda