Bhubaneswar: A retired Block Development Officer (BDO) and a former PEO of Narayanapatna in Koraput district were convicted and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a case related to misappropriation of government money.
A special vigilance court in Jeypore held Ramesh Chandra Sahoo, Ex-BDO of Naraynapatna and Gourahari Rout, Ex-PEO, guilty for misappropriation of public fund.
The court also directed them pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh each and in default of payment of fine, they have to undergo one year more rigorous imprisonment.
Both were charge sheeted by the vigilance for misappropriating government money to the tune of Rs.6,00,000 without executing the work i.e. construction work of two Anganwadi centres.
The Court further sentenced them to undergo three years rigorous imprisonment and to pay fine of Rs.50,000 each. In default of payment of fine, they would undergo six month more rigorous imprisonment for the offence under Sections 13 (2) r/w 13 (1)(c)(d) of PC Act, 1988.
Both were also sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs.5,000. In default of payment of fine, they have to undergo one month more rigorous imprisonment each for the offence U/s 120-B IPC. All the sentences are to run concurrently, the court clarified.
Both the convicts- Sahoo and Rout were sent to jail custody to serve their sentence.
Odisha Vigilance will now move the competent authority for stoppage of their pension following conviction.
