BHUBANESWAR:THE State Vigilance has registered a case against Odia IPS officer of Tripura cadre Joydeep Nayak and five others for their alleged involvement in irregularities to the tune of `88 lakh in the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of the State Police. An ASP-ranked officer Basant Kumar Pradhan and stenographer of the SC and ST Protection Cell of the HRPC were among those booked by the anti-corruption wing in connection with the case. Nayak, who headed the SC and ST Protection Cell, is charged with showing undue favours to Axis Computers, a Cuttack-based private firm, which imparted training to 6,000 SC and ST students of Nuapada.
DG, Vigilance Dr RP Sharma said official norms were violated in awarding the contract to Axis Computers as neither tenders were floated nor proper documentation was done while disbursing the money. The private firm allegedly furnished fake documents such as bills while utilisation certificates were also fabricated, he added. The Vigilance was asked to inquire into the matter after a special audit ordered by the State Government found glaring loopholes in the computer training project.
Nayak, who was on inter-State deputation, repatriated to his parent cadre in December last. He is currently Officer-on-Special Duty at State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development at Tripura. Meanwhile, the State Vigilance has arrested Pradhan, senior stenographer Pracheta Kumar Mishra along with Proprietor of Axis Computer Asutosh Mishra, its general manager Chandi Charan Patnaik and Mamata Rout, who owns Dev Graphics. Pradhan, an Additional SP now, is posted in the office of DIG South Western Range. He was arrested from Sunabeda, while others were arrested from Cuttack.