Koraput: Odisha vigilance on Tuesday secured conviction against three retired govt officials in separate disproportionate assets and corruption cases, with the courts awarding rigorous imprisonment and fines in all three cases.Following the convictions, vigilance announced that it would move the respective competent authorities for stoppage of pension benefits of all the convicted officials in accordance with the rules.The most significant conviction came in a disproportionate assets case involving Kalayanipuri Gandhi Chaudhury, former executive engineer of the hydro electric project investigation division, Jayapur, Koraput.The special judge, vigilance, Bhubaneswar, convicted Chaudhury under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh.According to Odisha vigilance, Chaudhury was charge-sheeted for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.In another case, the special judge, vigilance, Kendujhar, convicted Ganeswar Giri, former development clerk-cum-store in charge of Champua block, for misappropriating govt funds by manipulating the block’s cement stock register from 2007-08 to 2010-11. The court sentenced him to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.Officials said Giri was charge-sheeted under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, forgery and use of forged documents.In the third case, the special judge, vigilance, Balangir, convicted Ramesh Chandra Mishra, former revenue inspector in the office of the special land acquisition officer, LSIP, Balangir, for misappropriation of govt funds by abusing his official position and facilitating payment of land compensation to an ineligible person through fraudulent official procedures.The court sentenced Mishra to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000.“Following these convictions, the vigilance will move the competent authorities for stoppage of pension benefits of the convicted officials as per the prescribed rules,” Odisha vigilance said in a statement.The vigilance department described the three convictions secured on a single day as a reflection of its sustained efforts to ensure accountability in public service and bring corrupt public servants to justice, even after their retirement.
