Bhubaneswar: A former Gram Rojgar Sevak (GRS) in Kalahandi district was sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment by a Vigilance court on Wednesday after being convicted in a bribery case involving a beneficiary under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The convict, Santanu Nag, a former GRS of Balsi Gram Panchayat under Kesinga block, was also imposed a fine by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna.
According to Odisha Vigilance, Nag, who had been disengaged from service, was charge-sheeted under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, for demanding and accepting a bribe from an MGNREGS beneficiary.
He had allegedly demanded the bribe for preparing the muster roll and facilitating the online transfer of wage payments to the bank accounts of labourers engaged in land development work on the beneficiary’s land.
Following the trial, the court convicted Nag and awarded him the jail term and fine on November 4, 2026.
