Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance today arrested Sujeet Kumar Padhy, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Patnagarh RW sub-division, Balangir for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 50,000 from a contractor for facilitating release of final bill towards a government construction project.

As per reports, the AEE had initially demanded Rs 1 lakh bribe and was not clearing the bills despite completion of the project. Finding no other alternative, the contractor paid Rs 50,000 in two instalments few days back and requested for clearance of bills. However, Padhy demanded the rest amount of the bribe.

The contractor reported the matter to the anti-corruption agency, following which the AEE was today apprehended while accepting the money from the complainant.

The bribe money was recovered from the accused and seized. Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at three locations belonging to Padhy on suspicion of possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The Vigilance has registered a case in this connection while further probe was underway.