Kalahandi, Odisha — The Odisha Vigilance Directorate has booked 2021-batch IAS officer Dhiman Chakma, currently posted as a sub-collector in Dharamgarh, for allegedly accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe from a businessman. The trap was laid on Sunday evening at Chakma’s government residence, where vigilance officials reportedly caught him handling bundles of cash with both hands — a scene that now defines yet another low point in India’s corruption narrative.
According to officials, the bribe was an instalment of an alleged ₹20 lakh extortion demand. The complainant, a local businessman, claimed he was being coerced and threatened with official harassment if he did not comply. Following this, he approached the Vigilance Directorate with documentary evidence, including serial-marked currency notes.
Chakma, a recent entrant to India’s elite civil services, was said to have received the cash inside his official residence. Post-operation chemical tests revealed traces on both his hands and the drawer where the currency was hidden, confirming direct involvement.
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Chakma’s academic trajectory is one of brilliance: a computer science graduate from NIT Agartala, a successful UPSC candidate, and initially posted in Odisha’s Indian Forest Service (IFS) cadre before transitioning into the Indian Administrative Service. However, the speed with which his career derailed has stunned bureaucratic circles.
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He had barely completed his foundational IAS training — a rigorous process that includes coursework on ethics, governance, and public accountability — before allegedly slipping into corruption. The officer’s conduct has prompted many to ask: Has GS4 (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) — a core part of the UPSC CSE — failed in its purpose?
Observers note that it’s uncommon for such junior officers, especially within their probationary or early service years, to be embroiled in direct financial misconduct at this scale. The swift fall from grace has already triggered a reassessment of ethical grounding and institutional safeguards within IAS training.
Search Yields ₹47 Lakh More, Ethics Curriculum Under Fire
Subsequent searches at Chakma’s official quarters unearthed an additional ₹47 lakh in unaccounted cash, raising the stakes and pushing this case into high-profile territory. Odisha Vigilance has signaled that the searches and interrogations will continue through the week.
The bureaucratic community and former civil servants have reacted with dismay. “It is alarming that someone freshly inducted into service is already engaging in such behavior. The system is either too weak, or the selection and training mechanisms are failing us,” said a retired IAS officer.
The case is likely to have broader ramifications. There are calls from civil society, educators, and retired officials to overhaul or reinforce the ethics component of the UPSC curriculum, which many now believe has become symbolic rather than impactful.