Odisha Vigilance arrests ASI, aide for ₹20,000 bribe in Sundargarh excise case
Synopsis
An ASI posted at Lahunipada Police Station in Sundargarh allegedly used a pending excise case as leverage to extort ₹20,000 from an eatery owner — and was caught red-handed in a Vigilance trap. The arrest underlines how excise and criminal proceedings can become tools of coercion at the ground level of policing.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Vigilance arrested ASI Madan Mohan Pradhan and associate Mandeep Kumar Dasmodak on 30 August .
The duo allegedly demanded and accepted ₹20,000 from an eatery owner in Sundargarh district .
The bribe was sought to prevent the complainant's arrest and assist him in a pending excise case .
A trap was laid on the night of 29 August ; the full bribe amount was recovered and seized.
Searches were conducted at Pradhan's quarters, office, and native house in Sundargarh.
Case registered under Section 7, Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 at Rourkela Vigilance Police Station .
Odisha Vigilance on Sunday, 30 August arrested an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Police and his associate for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹20,000 from an eatery owner in Sundargarh district to shield him from arrest in an excise case. The operation, conducted late on Saturday night (29 August), marks the latest in a series of anti-corruption actions by the Odisha Vigilance directorate.
Who Was Arrested
The accused ASI has been identified as Madan Mohan Pradhan, currently posted at Lahunipada Police Station in Sundargarh district. His associate, Mandeep Kumar Dasmodak, a private individual, was also nabbed in the same trap operation. Both were subsequently forwarded to court following their arrest.
How the Bribe Demand Unfolded
According to the Odisha Vigilance's official statement, Pradhan allegedly threatened the eatery owner that he would be arrested and produced before a court unless a bribe was paid. The officer allegedly sought the money in exchange for dropping the threat of arrest and for assisting the complainant and his younger brother in an excise case registered against them.
With no apparent alternative, the eatery owner approached the Vigilance authorities and filed a formal complaint. Acting on it, Vigilance officials laid a trap late on Saturday night, during which Pradhan and Dasmodak were allegedly caught in the act of accepting the bribe amount.
Trap Operation and Evidence Seized
The entire ₹20,000 bribe amount was recovered from the accused in the presence of witnesses and seized by the Vigilance team. Following the successful trap, simultaneous searches were conducted at Pradhan's government residential quarters at Lahunipada, his office room, and his native house at Mahuldiha under Mahulpada police limits in Sundargarh district.
Case Registered
The Odisha Vigilance registered a case — Case No. 10/26 — against the accused duo at the Rourkela Vigilance Police Station on 29 August, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. This provision deals with public servants accepting gratification other than legal remuneration.
Broader Context
This arrest is part of a sustained crackdown by the Odisha Vigilance on corruption within the state's police and administrative machinery. Cases involving police personnel leveraging excise and criminal proceedings to extract bribes from small business owners have drawn particular scrutiny. The directorate's use of trap operations has been a key enforcement tool in recent years, with several such actions recorded across districts. The two accused now face prosecution under anti-corruption law, and the outcome of the court proceedings will be closely watched.
Point of View
But trap-based arrests address symptoms rather than the structural incentives that make bribe-taking rational for low-paid officers. Until departmental consequences — suspension, prosecution, dismissal — are swift and public, the deterrent effect of individual arrests will remain limited.
NationPress
30 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested by Odisha Vigilance in the Sundargarh bribe case?
ASI Madan Mohan Pradhan, posted at Lahunipada Police Station in Sundargarh, and his associate Mandeep Kumar Dasmodak were arrested on 30 August. Both were forwarded to court following the trap operation.
How much bribe was allegedly demanded and accepted?
The accused allegedly demanded and accepted ₹20,000 from an eatery owner in Sundargarh district. The entire amount was recovered from the accused in the presence of witnesses and seized by the Vigilance team.
Why did the ASI allegedly demand the bribe?
According to the Odisha Vigilance's official statement, ASI Pradhan allegedly threatened to arrest the eatery owner and produce him in court unless paid. The money was sought to drop the arrest threat and help the complainant and his brother in a registered excise case.
Under which law was the case registered?
The case — Case No. 10/26 — was registered at Rourkela Vigilance Police Station on 29 August under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, which deals with public servants accepting illegal gratification.
What happened after the trap operation?
Following the arrest, Vigilance officials conducted simultaneous searches at Pradhan's government quarters in Lahunipada, his office, and his native house at Mahuldiha in Sundargarh. Both accused were subsequently forwarded to court.
