Balasore: A vigilance court in Balasore on Friday sentenced a former headmaster and a Village Education Committee (VEC) president to three years of rigorous imprisonment for misappropriating government funds meant for school infrastructure development.

The Special Judge (Vigilance), Balasore, convicted Suresh Chandra Das, former in-charge headmaster of Achutananda Nodal Upper Primary School at Rasalpur, and Govinda Behera, former president of the school’s VEC, in a case related to the diversion of funds sanctioned under the Sarba Sikhya Abhijan (SSA) in 2011.

Funds misused, classroom not built

According to the prosecution, the accused misappropriated government money released for the construction of an additional classroom at the school. Despite receiving the funds, the sanctioned construction work was never executed.

The case was investigated and charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(c) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with Sections 409, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

Sentence and fine

The vigilance court sentenced both convicts to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each. The judgment is seen as a strong message against the misuse of public funds, particularly those allocated for education.

Pension stoppage move

Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance said it would move the competent authority to initiate proceedings for the stoppage of pension of Suresh Chandra Das, who has since retired from government service.

The conviction reinforces the vigilance agency’s continued emphasis on transparency and accountability in the implementation of welfare and education-related schemes.