BHUBANESWAR: Continuing with its policy of ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption, the State Government on Monday gave compulsory retirement to a senior official of the Agriculture department.
Pradip Mohanty, a former District Agriculture Officer (DAO) of Koraput, was apprehended by Vigilance officials with Rs 11 lakh cash in his vehicle while he was on his way to Bhubaneswar on July 2.
He was arrested the same day and the Special Vigilance Court had remanded him in judicial custody.The State Government had suspended Mohanty following his arrest. Vigilance officials later raided his residence, ancestral houses and found disproportionate assets of Rs 3.5 crore.
Earlier on August 13, the State Government had given compulsory retirement to AYUSH director Bibhu Prasad Sadangi for allegedly sexually harassing a lady employee of his office. Within a span of one year from August 2019 to August 2020, the Government has given compulsory retirement to 17 officials and withheld pensionary benefits of 22 officers mainly for their involvement in corrupt practices. It has also removed 60 officers from service during the one year period.Government had issued a circular in August 2019 saying that employees seen to be lacking integrity will be prematurely retired in public interest, if needed.