Bhubaneswar: Dhiman Chakma from the 2021 batch of IAS was caught taking an illegal ₹10 lakh bribe from a Kalahandi businessman, erasing his positive reputation from Tripura’s Kanchanpur.
On the evening of Sunday, Chakma, who is 36 and the Sub-Collector of Dharamgarh, was captured after asking a local business owner for ₹20 lakh over a call. The businessman, fearing administrative action, alerted the Vigilance Department, prompting them to set up a trap. Chakma took ₹10 lakh from Mayanglambam and stored it in the drawer of his office table after counting 26 bundles of notes, said the officials.
When conducting vigilance searches, police found another ₹47 lakh in cash at Chakma’s residence, so questions arose about his source of wealth. Both anti-bribery officials and family members noticed traces of toxic chemicals on the dishes in the team’s hands and those kept in the drawer. Following the directions of Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, authorities have registered a case and are making additional efforts to identify hidden assets.
Chakma, who earned his B.Tech at NIT Agartala, once inspired many people by achieving a rank of 722 in the UPSC exam in 2019 and 482 in 2020. After serving only a brief time as a forest officer in Mayurbhanj, the Indian Forest Service of Tripura, he embarked on his IAS career. In 2021, Chakma expressed his intention to assist the impoverished and revitalise the Northeast, but his arrest has overshadowed his words. There is evident shock on social media as users point out that a role model can become an accused person.
The complaint made by the businessman comes after weeks of extortion, which suggests that there are bigger problems within the system. A senior Vigilance official said this event will affect people’s trust in Administration, and the investigation will focus on Chakma’s finances. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya’s 2019 arrest showed that official corruption remains a problem in Odisha.
The arrest of Chakma leads people in Odisha’s government to look for tougher ways to stop corruption. The deeper investigation reveals the extent to which public officials can undermine our trust.