Agartala: May 18: Odisha Vigilance has initiated an investigation into Odisha cadre IAS officer Dhiman Chakma following his arrest on bribery charges. In a statement issued today, Odisha Vigilance confirmed that three teams were deployed to Tripura and Himachal Pradesh to conduct inquiries related to the case.
The teams carried out searches at Chakma’s ancestral residence in Kanchanpur, North Tripura, as well as at his in-laws’ home in the Saminala area of Manali, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, searches were conducted at his relatives’ homes in Rangbe, under the jurisdiction of Kiling police station in Lahaul-Spiti district. These searches were executed under warrants issued by the Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar. Authorities are reviewing key documents associated with bank deposits and investments, alongside an examination of his assets for indications of disproportionate wealth. The search operations remain ongoing.
Meanwhile, Kanchanpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashish Kumar Thakur confirmed that the Odisha Vigilance team arrived last Monday and searched Chakma’s ancestral home before departing.
Chakma, an IAS officer from the 2021 Odisha cadre, was apprehended on June 8 while allegedly accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe in Dharamgarh, Kalahandi district. At the time, he was serving as the sub-collector of Dharamgarh. Reports suggest he had sought ₹20 lakh from a businessman under the threat of government action. Following a written complaint to the Vigilance Department, officials detained Chakma while he allegedly accepted part of the demanded amount. Subsequent searches of his government residence reportedly led to the recovery of an additional ₹47 lakh in cash. He was subsequently arrested and placed under temporary suspension.
The investigation is ongoing as Odisha Vigilance continues its inquiries into the case.
