Keonjhar Village Level Worker gets 4-year jail term for graft

Keonjhar: Keonjhar Special Vigilance Judge sentenced former Village Level Worker (VLW) of Maidankela Gram Panchayat Basant Kumar Behera to four years of rigorous imprisonment for demanding and accepting bribe.

In 2015, Behera was caught red-handed by Vigilance officials while taking bribe of Rs 2,000 from complainant Sahadev Mahanta. Behera had demanded the bribe from Mahanta to give work order under the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana. A case was also registered with the Balasore Vigilance.

Hearing the case, the Keonjhar Special Vigilance Judge yesterday awarded 3 years of imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine to Behera under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.  He was also awarded 4 years of jail term and a penalty of Rs 10,000 under Section 13 (2) and 12 (1) D of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Both the sentences would run concurrently, sources said.