Bhubaneswar: On Thursday, officials from the Odisha Vigilance department detained Mousumi Behera, the Deputy Ranger of Phulnakhara within the City Forest Division, for allegedly soliciting a bribe of ₹1 lakh from an employee for the approval of bills.

According to a statement from the Vigilance, Behera requested the bribe from a staff member of the Phulnakhara Range in return for releasing funds related to maintenance activities, including watch and ward services, watering, and fertilization at three plantation sites between July and September 2026.

She demanded ₹1 lakh from the employee for the bill covering those three months, warning that she would withhold future payments if the bribe was not paid. Distressed by the demand and unable to comply, the staff member reported the issue to the vigilance authorities.

In response to the complaint, a Vigilance team caught Behera in the act of accepting the ₹1 lakh bribe from the complainant. The entire bribe amount was recovered from her possession and confiscated.

Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at two locations associated with the Deputy Ranger to investigate potential Disproportionate Assets. A case has been filed, and an investigation is currently ongoing.