Doctor allegedly demanded money from women CHOs to clear pending NHM incentive payments
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance officials on Friday arrested a medical officer posted at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kaniha, Angul district, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 49,000 from women Community Health Officers (CHOs) in exchange for clearing their pending incentive payments.
The accused, a 46-year-old medical officer, was reportedly responsible for processing incentive-related files of CHOs working under the National Health Mission (NHM). These CHOs are entitled to monthly incentives ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 for their services.
According to vigilance officials, the doctor allegedly demanded around Rs 3,000 from each CHO as illegal gratification for releasing their dues. When the CHOs expressed their inability to meet the demand, the medical officer allegedly withheld their files, causing deliberate delays in the disbursement of incentives.
Facing repeated harassment and prolonged non-payment, the aggrieved women CHOs approached the Odisha Vigilance department last week and lodged a formal complaint detailing the alleged bribery demand and coercion.
Acting on the complaint, vigilance officials devised a trap and conducted a coordinated operation at the CHC. As part of the plan, 16 CHOs collectively arranged Rs 49,000 and handed over the amount to the accused under official surveillance.
Confirming the arrest, a vigilance officer told TOI that the medical officer was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe inside the CHC premises. The entire tainted amount was immediately recovered from his possession and seized as evidence.
Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at multiple locations linked to the accused, including his government quarters in Kaniha, his wife’s rented residence in Rourkela, and his office chamber. The searches were carried out to unearth further evidence related to the case.
In this connection, a case has been registered at Cuttack Vigilance Police Station under Case No. 02 dated January 15, 2026, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is currently underway.
The arrest comes amid a series of vigilance actions against corruption in the healthcare sector, highlighting growing scrutiny over alleged bribery linked to incentive payments and public health schemes.
