In Kalahandi district, Sitakanta Rana, the principal of Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya (OAV) in Thuamul Rampur, was arrested by the Odisha Vigilance for soliciting and accepting a bribe.

Rana was apprehended while accepting Rs 10,000 from a Self-Help Group (SHG) member, which was intended to facilitate the release of overdue payments for cleaning services spanning three months during the fiscal year 2026-27.

The SHG member had been persistently asking Rana to settle the unpaid bills, but instead of resolving the issue, Rana insisted on receiving a bribe of Rs 10,000. Faced with this demand, the individual reported Rana to the vigilance authorities, alleging harassment.

Today, vigilance officers caught Rana in the act of accepting the bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant. The entire amount was subsequently recovered from him.

Following the arrest, simultaneous searches are being conducted at two locations associated with Rana as part of an investigation into potential disproportionate assets.

A case has been registered under Koraput Vigilance P.S. Case No. 17/2026, in accordance with Section 7 of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2028. The investigation into Sitakanta Rana’s activities is ongoing.