A shocking case of corruption has come to light in Jagatsinghpur district, where Dr. Siba Prasad Sethi, a medical officer at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kujang, was arrested by the Odisha Vigilance for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹10,000. The bribe was allegedly for providing a favorable post-mortem report for a woman who died under suspicious circumstances.
Incident Details:
- Death of Madhusmita Sahu: A woman named Madhusmita Sahu from Saharadia village died after consuming poison on June 14.
- Autopsy and Bribe Demand: Dr. Sethi conducted the autopsy and allegedly demanded ₹10,000 from the deceased's husband, Shritam Behera, for a favorable report to facilitate insurance claims.
- Vigilance Trap: The husband approached the Vigilance Department, which laid a trap. Dr. Sethi was caught red-handed accepting the bribe through his receptionist, Surya Narayan Chowdhury, at his clinic in Cuttack.
Investigation and Action:
- Case Registered: A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, at the Cuttack Vigilance Police Station.
- Raids and Searches: Simultaneous searches are underway at five locations linked to Dr. Sethi to investigate potential disproportionate assets.
- Further Investigation: The Vigilance Department is conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.