Odisha Government Suspends IAS Officer Over Bribery Charges

Suspension of IAS Officer in Odisha

The Odisha government announced the suspension of IAS officer Dhiman Chakma on Tuesday. This decision follows his arrest the previous day on allegations of accepting a bribe from a businessman.

According to an official statement, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the immediate suspension of Dhiman Chakma, who serves as the sub-collector in Dharamgarh.

Chakma, an officer from the 2021 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), was caught red-handed by the vigilance department on Sunday while allegedly accepting a bribe of 10 lakh rupees from a businessman in Kalahandi district.

A notification issued by the General Administration Department stated that during the suspension period, Chakma's headquarters will be set at the General Administration and Public Grievance Department in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and he is prohibited from leaving this headquarters without prior permission.

On Monday, Chakma was presented in court after his arrest, where his bail application was denied. Subsequently, he was sent to Dharamgarh jail but was later admitted to a hospital due to health issues. Additionally, vigilance officials recovered 47 lakh rupees in cash during a raid at his government residence in Kalahandi.