Bhubaneswar: A Special Vigilance Court in Phulbani on Friday sentenced Tapan Kumar Kanhar, an assistant teacher at Kutibari Primary School in Harabhanga block of Boudh district, to four years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine of Rs 10,000. Kanhar was convicted for misappropriation of government funds.
According to an official press release, Kanhar was charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(c)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, and Sections 409 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges stemmed from his involvement in the misappropriation of government money allocated for the construction of a new primary school building at Kandra Project Primary School, which was never completed.
Following the verdict, Kanhar was taken into custody and sent to jail to serve his sentence.
The Vigilance Department will now approach the competent authority to initiate proceedings for his dismissal from service in light of the conviction.
