Vigilance arrests four Odisha govt employees on graft charge in a day

Bhubaneswar: The Vigilance sleuths arrested four government employees and conducted searches at different places of another four government employees today on graft charges across Odisha.

While four were arrested while accepting bribes, raids were conducted at places related to four others for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Sanjay Kumar Naik, Junior Clerk at the office of Sub-Registrar, Khariar in Nuapada district was caught red-handed by the officers of Vigilance, Koraput Division for demanding and accepting illegal gratification of Rs 20,000 from one Parameswar Barik of village Sunerisikuan in order to process land registration in favour of the spouse of Parameswar.

Also, Sanjay Kumar’s rented house at Khariar and ancestral house at Nuapada were searched. Following his arrest, Sanjay Kumar was forwarded to the court.

In another case, Sanjukta Mohapatra, ASI of Police, Sarankul PS, in Nayagarh district was caught red-handed by the officers of Vigilance, Bhubaneswar Division for demanding and accepting illegal gratification of Rs 8,000 from one Ranka Behera of village Kunjabanapada in order to show undue favour in a case registered at Sarankul PS against Ranka and her family members.

The bribe money was recovered from the possession of Sanjukta and seized in presence of witnesses. Both hands wash of Sanjukta as well as her vanity bag wash gave positive chemical reaction, confirming acceptance of bribe money by her. Her house at Nayagarh was searched.

A Vigilance official said the woman ASI of police will be forwarded to the court.
In this connection, Bhubaneswar Vigilance P.S. case No.44 dt 30.12.2020 U/s 7 PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered and is under investigation.

Similarly, Raghunath Panda, Peon-cum-Packer, office of the Drugs Inspector, Jajpur Road was caught red-handed by the officers of Vigilance, Cuttack Division for demanding and accepting illegal gratification of Rs 3,000 from complainant Santosh Kumar Sahu of village Kusupur in Cuttack in order to process and issue Annual Inspection Report in favour of the complainant.

The house of accused at Bishnupur in Bhadrak was searched. He has been arrested and is being forwarded to the Court.

On the allegation of acquisition of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by Prasanta Kumar Nayak, Clerk, Lingaraj Law College, Berhampur in Ganjam district, his residential triple-storied building, double-storied building, double-storied godown, and two rented godowns at Berhampur were simultaneously searched by the officers of Vigilance, Berhampur Division on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur.

In course of search and inventory, Prasanta Kumar was found in possession of assets worth over Rs1.57 crore.

In another case, the Vigilance searched the houses and office of Rabindranath Senapati, ASI of Police, Tirtol Court (Court ASI) in Jagatsinghpur, on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack.

During search and inventory, Rabindranath was found in possession of assets worth more than Rs 1.17 crore including one double-storied building, one single-storied building, one flat, one plot, two numbers of four wheelers, two numbers of two wheelers, deposits in different banks and post offices, investment in various insurance policies, gold ornaments, cash and household articles.

Similarly, on the allegation of acquisition of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by Bibhuti Shankar Bindhani, Accountant, office of Superintending Engineer, Electrical, WESCO, Bolangir, his residential house at Tulsinagar, Bolangir and office room at office of Superintending Engineer Electrical, WESCO, Bolangir were simultaneously searched today by the officers of Vigilance, Sambalpur Division on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bolangir.

In course of search and inventory, Bibhuti Shankar was found in possession of assets worth over Rs 1.39 crore including one triple-storied building, one plot, one four wheeler, two numbers of two wheelers, deposits in different banks, investment in various insurance policies, gold ornaments, cash of over Rs 16 Lakhs and household articles.

On the allegation of acquisition of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income by Ramesh Chandra Panda, Ex-Jeep Driver (retied). office of Executive Engineer, Left Canal Division, Kusumkhunti, Dist. Kalahandi, his residential building at Kebidi (Kashibahal), Dharmagarh in Kalahandi and lodge-cum-residential building at Kebidi, Dharmagarh in Kalahandi were simultaneously searched today by the officers of Vigilance, Koraput Division on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna.

In course of search and inventory, Ramesh Chandra was found in possession of assets worth more than Rs 2.27 crore including one triple-storied building, one double-storied building, five numbers of plots, one four wheeler, three numbers of two wheelers, deposits in different banks, Investment in various insurance policies, gold ornaments and household articles.

In a similar case, the sleuths searched the houses and office of Kailash Chandra Mohanty, Laboratory Assistant, Chikiti College, Chikiti in Ganjam, on the strength of Search Warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur.

Kailash Chandra was found in possession of assets worth Rs 1.45 crore including three numbers of flats, one single-storied building, three numbers of plots, one four wheeler, one tipper truck, one tractor, two numbers of two wheelers, deposits in different banks & post offices, gold & Silver ornaments, cash and household articles during the search and inventory.

After search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of Kailash Chandra was calculated and he was found in possession of assets disproportionate to the known sources of income to the tune of Rs 1,01,50,512

Kailash Chandra has been arrested and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur. The Court has remanded him to jail custody till 12.1.2021.