Odisha Vigilance launches robust anti-corruption drive: 88 cases in just 4 months

Bhubaneswar, Oct 28: From June 12 to October 26, 2024, the Odisha Vigilance has made substantial strides in its fight against corruption, registering a total of 88 criminal cases involving 123 individuals. Among those implicated are 24 Class-I officers, 12 Class-II officers, 54 Class-III employees, and 26 private citizens.

Notably, 26 cases focused on disproportionate assets (DA) have been filed against 29 public servants and 17 private individuals, resulting in the identification of assets worth approximately ₹77.28 crore. Key cases include those against Pradeep Kumar Rath, whose total DA was estimated at ₹10.37 crore, and Prasanna Kumar Swain, with assets amounting to ₹8.11 crore.

The Vigilance team also intercepted Akhyamita Kartik, an OAS officer, on August 1, 2024, recovering ₹5.40 lakh in suspected ill-gotten cash. A total of 45 trap cases were registered during this period, resulting in arrests for bribes totaling ₹10.52 lakh.

In addition, the Vigilance has addressed 17 misappropriation cases, amounting to ₹5.11 crore in public funds. Significant cases include those involving Basanta Kumar Dash, who allegedly misappropriated ₹1.05 crore from government accounts.

The outcomes of these investigations have led to 89 arrests, including 22 Class-I officers, with a conviction rate of around 50% for all cases and 80% for DA cases. Furthermore, 68 inquiries were initiated against various officials, with eight public servants dismissed from service following convictions.