Bhubaneswar, 13 January (H.S.): Bhubaneswar Sri Ajaya Kumar Mallick, former staffer in the office of the Revenue Inspector at Balandapada under Phiringia Tahasil in Kandhamal district, has been convicted in a bribery case by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Phulbani.

Mallick was chargesheeted by Odisha Vigilance in Berhampur Vigilance Police Station Case No. 15 dated August 22, 2023, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from a farmer. The bribe was allegedly taken to facilitate the mutation of the farmer’s ancestral land and the issuance of Record of Rights (Patta) in favour of the complainant and other legal heirs.

Following the trial, the court found Mallick guilty and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 20,000.

Odisha Vigilance has stated that it will now move the competent authority for Mallick’s dismissal from government service in view of his conviction.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda