2 days ago
Retired Odisha IAS Officer Convicted in Grain Transport Case
A court in Dhenkanal found three people guilty in a government transport case.
The case involved moving rice and wheat from a warehouse to local government areas.
The government had set certain prices for this work.
The accused approved higher prices instead.
Payments were made using hand-written quotations rather than the required process.
Investigators said this cost the government about Rs 9 lakh.
The three people were each sentenced to one year in prison and fined.
Odisha Vigilance also plans to ask for the pensions of the two retired officials to be stopped.
Former Dhenkanal Collector Nityananda Mohanty and two others were convicted over inflated wheat and rice transport rates.
The case concerned transportation from the Food Corporation of India warehouse in Dhenkanal during 2001-02.
The court found that higher rates were approved instead of rates prescribed by the Odisha Civil Supplies Corporation.
Payments were made to contractor Satyananda Balasamanta using hand quotations, allegedly causing about Rs 9 lakh in losses.
Mohanty, Suryanarayan Das and Balasamanta each received one year of rigorous imprisonment and fines.
- Who
- Retired IAS officer and former Dhenkanal Collector Nityananda Mohanty, former District Rural Development Agency Project Director Suryanarayan Das, and transport contractor Satyananda Balasamanta.
- What
- They were convicted for approving and using higher-than-prescribed transportation rates for carrying wheat and rice.
- Where
- Dhenkanal, Odisha, involving transport from a Food Corporation of India warehouse to block and gram panchayat headquarters.
- When
- The alleged conduct occurred during 2001-02; the conviction date is not specified.
- Why
- The rates approved and paid exceeded those prescribed by the Odisha Civil Supplies Corporation, allegedly causing about Rs 9 lakh in government losses.
Key facts
- Court
- Special Judge, Vigilance, Dhenkanal
- Sentence
- One year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine for each of the three convicted people
- Officials convicted
- Nityananda Mohanty and Suryanarayan Das
- Contractor convicted
- Satyananda Balasamanta
- Estimated government loss
- Around Rs 9 lakh
- Transported goods
- Wheat and rice
- Additional action
- Odisha Vigilance said it would seek stoppage of the pensions of the two retired officials
Sources
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