Bhubaneswar: Smt. Sarita Barik, an OFS-I officer serving as the Assistant Commissioner of State Tax, Bhubaneswar-IV Circle, was apprehended by Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 25,000. The arrest was made following a complaint from a bakery shop owner.
According to Vigilance officials, the complainant, who runs a food products firm, was issued a show-cause notice by Smt. Barik. The notice demanded a fine and tax payment of Rs. 2,27,147 for the reversal of Input Tax Credit (ITC) for the fiscal year 2020-21.
When the complainant approached Smt. Barik to request a reconsideration, she reportedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 25,000 in exchange for exempting the fine and penalty. The complainant then immediately reported the incident to the Vigilance authorities.
A trap was laid, and Smt. Barik was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe amount of Rs. 25,000 from the complainant. The transaction took place inside her car in front of Aakash Institute in Madhusudan Nagar, Bhubaneswar. The entire bribe money has been recovered and seized from her possession.
Following the successful trap, the Vigilance department has initiated simultaneous searches at three locations linked to Smt. Barik to investigate her assets for disproportionate property.
In connection with this case, Bhubaneswar Vigilance P.S. Case No. 18 dated August 26, 2025, has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Latest investigation reveals that Cash Rs.1.45 Lakhs, Gold 222gms, Deposits around Rs. 60 Lakhs, Jewellery bills and documents related to purchase of property in BBSR etc recovered during searches carried out till early morning at her rented residence at Bhubaneswar following her apprehension for taking bribe Rs.25,000 from a Food Product Firm on 26 August.
She has been arrested and will be forwarded to the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Court on 27 August.