Bhubaneswar: A Special Judge (Vigilance), Bolangir on Thursday convicted a former Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) in a corruption case and sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for demanding and accepting a bribe under a rural housing scheme.
The court found Soubhagyabanta Sahu, former GRS of Panchamahala Gram Panchayat under Ulunda Block in Subarnapur district, guilty under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. In addition to the jail term, the court also imposed a fine on the convict.
Following the pronouncement of the verdict, Sahu was taken into jail custody to serve his sentence.
According to prosecution sources, Sahu was charge-sheeted by the Odisha Vigilance in connection with Sambalpur Vigilance Police Station Case No. 44 dated June 1, 2018. He was accused of demanding and accepting illegal gratification from a beneficiary for releasing the third instalment of a Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) house under the Rural Housing Scheme.
The Vigilance investigation established that the accused abused his official position to seek bribe money from the beneficiary, following which a case was registered and later charge-sheeted. At the time of conviction, Sahu had already been disengaged from service.
Odisha Vigilance officials stated that the conviction underscores the agency’s continued efforts to curb corruption in the implementation of welfare schemes meant for the rural poor.
