Bhubaneswar: A vigilance court in Bhubaneswar on Friday sentenced a retired forest officer to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) after convicting him in a disproportionate assets case.
The Additional Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, convicted Suresh Chandra Rath, former Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) posted at the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Puri, under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The court sentenced Rath to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of three years and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh.
Rath had been charge-sheeted by the Odisha Vigilance for possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, an offence punishable under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The case pertained to the period when he was in government service prior to his retirement.
Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance officials said they would initiate steps to move the competent authority for stoppage of Rath’s pension, as per applicable service rules governing convicted public servants.
The conviction marks another instance of a retired government officer being held accountable under anti-corruption laws, reinforcing the Vigilance Department’s continued focus on cases involving disproportionate assets accumulated during public service.
