Bhubaneswar, 25 April (H.S.): In a significant anti-corruption development, Odisha Vigilance has secured the conviction of two engineers in a corruption case linked to alleged misappropriation of government funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
According to Vigilance officials, Sadananda Pradhan, former Assistant Engineer (Retired), Maneswar Block in Sambalpur district, and Biranchi Narayan Dash, formerly Junior Engineer at Maneswar Block and currently Assistant Engineer at Brutang Irrigation Project in Daspalla, Nayagarh, were convicted by the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Sambalpur.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in a road improvement project executed under MGNREGS during 2008-09 in Maneswar Block, where the accused were charged with misappropriation of government money by recording inflated measurements in the work execution. They had been charge-sheeted under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code related to criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
The court sentenced both convicts to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years and also imposed fines.
Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance said it will move the competent authority seeking stoppage of pension benefits of retired official Sadananda Pradhan and dismissal proceedings against serving official Biranchi Narayan Dash in accordance with applicable rules.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
