Bhubaneswar: A medical officer posted at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kaniha was arrested by Vigilance officials on Friday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 49,000 from women Community Health Officers (CHOs) in exchange for clearing their pending incentive payments. The accused, a 46-year-old medical officer posted at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kaniha of Angul district, allegedly demanded a bribe from CHOs who are entitled to monthly incentives ranging between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 under the NHM scheme. According to vigilance officials, the doctor reportedly sought around Rs 3,000 from each CHO for releasing their dues.Also Read:Roorkee medical officer arrested for accepting Rs 20,000 bribeWhen the CHOs expressed their inability to pay the demanded bribe, the doctor allegedly withheld their files, delaying the disbursement of incentives. Following repeated harassment, the women CHOs lodged a formal complaint with the Odisha Vigilance last week.Acting on the complaint, vigilance officials laid a trap and planned a coordinated operation. As part of the strategy, 16 CHOs agreed to collectively hand over Rs 49,000 to the accused.
Speaking to TOI, the officer said, “During the planned operation at the CHC, we caught the doctor red-handed while accepting the bribe. Immediately after his arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at his govt quarters in Kaniha, his wife’s rented residence in Rourkela, and his office chamber.”
The entire tainted bribe money was recovered from his possession and seized.
In this connection, Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No- 02 dt. 15.01.2026 U/s 7PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered against the accused. Investigation is in progress, reports Around Odisha.Also Read:Jaipur doctor arrested for taking Rs 11 Lakh bribe for clearing Ayushman billsMedical Dialogues had previously reported that a Jaipur-based doctor, working as an Ayushman Bharat investigator, has been arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 11 lakh from Siddhivinayak Hospital in Bhilwara for clearing its Ayushman Arogya Yojana bills.
