Despite government crackdowns, corruption persists as three officials at the Khordha Income Tax Office were booked by the CBI for demanding bribes from a farmer.
The victim, Subash Chandra Sahu, had applied to deactivate his PAN card.
Instead of providing service, officials allegedly demanded "fees" based on their rank:
Clerk Bhimsen Barik: Requested ₹2,000.
Inspector T. Satya Narayan Rao: Demanded ₹10,000, claiming the process would stall without payment.
Data Entry Operator Kumar Samaresh: Also implicated in the conspiracy.
Refusing to yield, the farmer approached the CBI, leading to a formal case against the trio. This incident highlights the brazen nature of petty corruption, where even simple administrative tasks are leveraged for illegal gains. The CBI has launched a full investigation into the matter.