DHENKANAL: The Special Vigilance Court in Dhenkanal on Thursday convicted three persons including retired IAS officer and former collector Nityananda Mohanty in a corruption case dating back to 2001-02.
Mohanty, former project director of DRDA Suryanarayan Das and transport contractor Satyananda Balasamanta were each sentenced to one year of imprisonment and fined by the court.
The case relates to the misappropriation of around `9 lakh government funds during Mohanty’s tenure as Dhenkanal collector. The three were chargesheeted by the Vigilance under sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and sections 468, 471, 420 and 120-B of the IPC. Both Mohanty and Das have since retired and are aged 79 and 74 respectively.
Vigilance officials said Mohanty, while serving as the collector during 2001-02, along with then project director of DRDA Das and transport contractor Balasamanta caused pecuniary loss to the government exchequer.
The officials said Mohanty had approved a higher rate proposed by Das for transporting rice and wheat from the FCI godown in Dhenkanal to various block and gram panchayat headquarters under labour-intensive works. The approved transportation rate prescribed by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation was reportedly not followed. Instead, a higher rate was paid to the contractor after accepting hand quotations submitted by him, in violation of government norms.
Following their conviction, Vigilance said it will move the competent authority seeking stoppage of the pension of Mohanty and Das, both retired government officials.
