Mirja Sajd Baig, a clerk in-charge of vital statistics at Munsipentha Community Health Centre (CHC) in the Ganjam district of Odisha, was arrested by the vigilance officials on Monday while he was accepting Rs.2,000 to hand over two death certificates.
According to SP of Berhampur vigilance division, M. Panda, efforts by complainant Hadu Mahakud of Paturu village to get this erring official trapped would help in reduction of bribery at grassroot level. Hadu had applied at the CHC for death certificate of his father Dukhi Mahakud and a relative named Kamala Gouda.
The medical officer concerned had signed the certificates on April 5, but these were not handed over to the complainant.
According to Mahakud, Baig had demanded Rs.1,000 for each certificate. Following the complaint by Mahakud, vigilance officials set the trap on Monday. Baig was caught red-handed in his office chamber in the Munsipentha CHC, while he accepted Rs.2,000 marked cash .
He was immediately arrested and all documents related to the case were seized. A raid was also conducted at his rented house in Chatrapur.
