Debagarh: Manjula Pradhan, a junior female clerk at Debagarh College, was caught by the Vigilance Department while accepting a bribe of Rs5,000 from a former student in exchange for issuing a new certificate to replace two lost ones. On Friday evening, she was taken to Sambalpur for court proceedings.
According to information from the Vigilance Department, former student Shaktiman Rana from Bhaliadihi village in Debagarh district had applied for a new certificate after losing his previous two (Council) certificates. Instead of processing the application, clerk Manjula Pradhan kept delaying the work and demanded a bribe of ₹5,000 from Shaktiman.
After repeated requests, Shaktiman agreed to pay the amount and set Friday as the payment date. However, on Thursday, he reported the matter to the Vigilance Department. Based on his complaint, a case (No. 3/25) was registered at the Rourkela Vigilance Police Station, and a trap was planned to catch the clerk.
Under the leadership of Debagarh Vigilance DSP Yogesh Chandra Patel, a team from the Vigilance Department laid an ambush in the college premises. Shaktiman handed over ten ₹500 notes coated with chemical powder to Manjula Pradhan. As soon as she accepted the money, the Vigilance team caught her red-handed and seized the bribe amount.
Following the arrest, the Vigilance Department also conducted searches at her office and residence to gather further evidence.