DSP-ranked officer in Vigilance net for taking Rs 30k bribe

DHENKANAL: A DSP-ranked officer in Dhenkanal district was caught red-handed by Vigilance officials while accepting Rs 30,000 bribe from a coal transporter to facilitate his business on Tuesday.

The accused police officer was identified as Abhinav Dalua, the in-charge IIC of Dhenkanal Sadar police station. Recently, he was promoted to the rank of DSP. Dalua was scheduled to join his place of posting at Rourkela soon. 

Vigilance officials said Dalua had threatened the complainant, a coal transporter, of not allowing him to run his business unless he paid a bribe. As per the police officer’s demand, the complainant paid Rs 15,000 as a bribe on August 24. However, Dalua demanded more money following which the complainant approached the Vigilance department. 

Accordingly, a team led by Additional SP, Vigilance Saroj Kumar Samal laid a trap and nabbed the DSP red-handed at Dhenkanal Sadar police station. The Vigilance team seized the bribe money from Dalua before arresting him.

On that day, Vigilance carried out simultaneous raids at eight properties of Dalua in Khurda, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Keonjhar and Narsinghpur in the Cuttack district. Nine DSPs and eight inspectors took part in the raids.

Sources said Dalua served as the IIC of different police stations in the Dhenkanal district for a long time. Two months back, a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Hindol Malay Nayak was caught red-handed by Vigilance officials while accepting Rs 30,000 bribe from a stone quarry owner.