Caught taking bribe, Odisha cop jumps into pond, officer swims after him

An Odisha Police Sub-Inspector allegedly caught accepting a Rs 10,000 bribe jumped into a pond while trying to escape vigilance officials, but was apprehended after a team member swam after him. Vigilance officials later recovered an additional Rs 1.55 lakh from his police station rest room and launched a disproportionate assets probe.Cornered by vigilance team, Odisha cop jumps into pond with Rs 10,000 bribe moneySambalpur,Nov 5, 2026 00:06 ISTA demand for a Rs 10,000 bribe turned into an unexpected chase for an Odisha Police Sub-Inspector, who found himself fleeing from vigilance officials. The chase ended in a pond after the officer, Sujit Kumar Mohanta, jumped into the water in a desperate bid to escape. But one of the vigilance team members jumped in after him and swam towards him, eventually helping take the accused officer into custody.Mohanta, posted at Mahulpali Police Station in Sambalpur district, was caught on Wednesday after allegedly demanding and accepting the bribe from a complainant in exchange for finalising a miscellaneous case registered against him at the police station. Mohanta was the investigating officer in the case.According to Odisha Vigilance, the Sub-Inspector had called the complainant to a secluded spot outside the police station on Wednesday evening to collect the money. After accepting the Rs 10,000, he noticed the vigilance team and attempted to flee.Vigilance officials chased him along the road, but Mohanta jumped into a nearby pond in an attempt to evade arrest. The team did not give up, with one of its members swimming after him before he was finally apprehended. The entire bribe amount of Rs 10,000 was recovered from his possession. Following the trap, Odisha Vigilance launched searches at locations linked to Mohanta as part of a disproportionate assets probe. During the searches, officials recovered an additional Rs 1,55,700 in cash from his rest room inside the police station. The money was reportedly kept in an envelope.A case has been registered against Mohanta at Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station under Case No. 21/2026, invoking Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway, with vigilance officials continuing searches and verification of the accused officer's assets.Mohanta joined the Odisha Police in 2021 after being directly recruited as a Sub-Inspector.- Ends