CHC Medical Officer, Pharmacist held for accepting Rs 40,000 bribe from nursing officer

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Anti-corruption vigilance officials on Friday arrested the medical officer in charge at Baipariguda Community Health Centre (CHC) and a pharmacist for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a nursing officer.

The accused have been identified as Dr Biswajit Bhuyan, the medical officer in-charge at Baipariguda Community Health Centre (CHC), and Uttaam Mahankuda, the pharmacist, officials said.

According to the PTI report, the two were trapped by vigilance sleuths following an allegation from the nursing officer, whose services had recently been regularised.

Also Read:2 Telangana Govt Medical College employees arrested for accepting Rs 3 lakh bribe

She was entitled to an arrear payment of approximately Rs 4,83,572 after the government ordered the release of differential financial benefits from October 2022 onward.

According to the complainant, despite repeated requests, Dr Bhuyan demanded a 10 per cent bribe of the arrears amount in exchange for processing the payment. He allegedly refused to release the arrears until the bribe was paid and even threatened to transfer her to a remote location if she did not comply.

With no other option, the nursing officer approached the Vigilance authorities, who subsequently caught Dr Bhuyan while accepting the bribe through the pharmacist, the anti-corruption wing stated in an official release.

The statement also mentioned that Dr Bhuyan had previously faced multiple allegations of demanding bribes and misusing the CHC vehicle.

Simultaneous searches were carried out at three locations associated with Dr Bhuyan and one location linked to Mahankuda, the pharmacist. A case has been registered against both under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, the vigilance authorities added.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested the Administrative Officer and Junior Assistant of Bhadradri Kothagudem Government Medical College in Telangana on Tuesday for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹3 lakh.

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