It’s no less than a shocker to see 2019 OAS Topper Aswini Panda, who used to boast about dedication to public service, getting arrested in a corruption case. Aswini was caught red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 15,000 for converting agricultural land into homestead land in a mutation case, as Tehsiladar in Sambalpur District.
Aswini used his Driver to collect the money on behalf, leading to the vigilance trap. During the raids at Aswini Panda’s residence, the Vigilance sleuths unearthed cash worth Rs 4.73 lakh.
A native of Jajpur district, Panda had topped the OAS exam in 2019 on his first attempt without coaching. He completed Plus II Science at Ravenshaw University, and earned a B.Tech from Berhampur. He worked in Delhi before returning to Odisha to prepare for civil services. His arrest in bribery case, has stunned the aspiring government servants and raised serious questions on the morality of officers in public service.