Vigilance Trap / Jagatsinghpur NHM Official Arrested For Taking Rs20,000 Bribe From Ashakarmi

Jagatsinghpur, Aug 20: Odisha Vigilance officials on Thursday apprehended Manoj Ranjan Nayak, Block Programme Manager (NHM) of Kujanga Community Health Centre (CHC), while accepting a bribe of Rs20,000 from a health staffer, officials said.

 The accused had allegedly threatened to prepone her retirement by citing an error in her Aadhaar card.

Today, Manoj Ranjan Nayak, Block Programme Manager (NHM), Kujang CHC , #Jagatsinghpur was arrested by #Odisha #Vigilance while taking a bribe of Rs.20,000/-from an Ashakarmi, threatening preponement of her retirement due to date of birth error in her records.

— Odisha Vigilance (@OdishaVigilance) August 20, 2026

The complainant, an Ashakarmi working under Kujanga CHC, had two years of service left based on her School Leaving Certificate, which recorded her date of birth as May 17, 1966. However, Nayak pointed to a discrepancy in her Aadhaar card and allegedly used it to harass her, demanding Rs20,000 to allow her to continue in service.

Finding no alternative, the Ashakarmi lodged a complaint with Vigilance authorities. Acting on the complaint, a team of Odisha Vigilance laid a trap and caught Nayak red-handed while accepting the bribe amount. The entire tainted sum was recovered from his possession and seized as evidence.

Following the arrest, simultaneous searches were conducted at two locations linked to Nayak to examine possible disproportionate assets. Officials said that a case has been registered at Kataka Vigilance Police Station under Case No. 31 dated August 19, 2026, U/s 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
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Investigations are underway to ascertain further details of Nayak’s assets and to probe whether similar irregularities were committed against other staffers. Vigilance officials emphasised that the department remains committed to acting against corruption in public health institutions, particularly where vulnerable employees are subjected to harassment.

The arrest highlights ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of health programmes under the National Health Mission.