BHUBANESWAR : Dragged into controversy over the CBI investigation into Bridge and Roof Company (India) Limited bribery scandal, senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi was on Tuesday shifted from the three keys positions he was assigned and placed as officer-on-special duty (OSD) in the General Administration and Public Grievance department.
Sethi was earlier issued summon by the central agency to join the investigation. Though has not personally appeared, sources said, he could be served a fresh summon in this regard.
While the IAS officer has been under intense media scrutiny, with Opposition political parties seeking action against him, the Mohan Charan Majhi government acted swiftly by effecting a mini reshuffle in the senior level.
Sethi was replaced by Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra on the latter’s repatriation from central deputation. A 1997-batch IAS officer, Mishra has been posted as principal secretary in the ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare department with additional charges of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Odia Language, Literature and Culture departments.
Manoj Sahoo appointed spl secretary to chief minister
Besides, 2006-batch IAS officer Manoj Kumar Sahoo has been appointed as special secretary to the chief minister upon joining the state government on inter-cadre deputation. Sethi, a 1995-batch officer was principal secretary to the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities department with additional charges of Odia Language, Literature and Culture and ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare departments.
He found himself embroiled in the controversy days after the CBI arrested Chanchal Mukherjee, group general manager of Bridge and Roof, a central PSU headquartered at Kolkata, for allegedly accepting a bribe of `10 lakh on December 7. Two others were also held along with Mukherjee. A few days later, notices were issued to Sethi as well as his official drivers in connection with the case.