Malkangiri: On charges of demanding and taking bribe of ₹50,000 to provide relief in respect of two Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs), the Odisha Vigilance has arrested a Senior Clerk attached to the Court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Mathili in Malkangiri district.

According to Vigilance officials, the accused has been identified as Achyut Kumar Pradhan, a senior clerk attached to the JMFC Court at Mathili.

Pradhan allegedly demanded ₹50,000 from a complainant in exchange for facilitating relief in connection with two NBWs issued against the complainant's cousin in separate cases.

Unable to meet the alleged demand, the complainant approached the Odisha Vigilance and reported the matter.

Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and apprehended Pradhan while he was allegedly accepting ₹50,000 from the complainant. The entire tainted money was recovered from his possession and subsequently seized by the officials.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches are being conducted at the accused's residential premises from the disproportionate assets (DA) angle, Vigilance officials said.

In connection with the case, Koraput Vigilance Police Station Case No. 20/2026 has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, as amended in 2018.

Further investigation into the allegations against Achyut Kumar Pradhan is underway.