Bhubaneswar: The Special Judge, Vigilance, Balangir on Thursday sentenced Kishore Chandra Kharsel, retired former Section Officer of Agalpur Tahasil in Balangir district to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with a fine after convicting him in a bribery case registered by the Odisha Vigilance.
Kharsel, who has since retired, was charge-sheeted in Sambalpur Vigilance PS Case No.14 dated March 30, 2022 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹35,000 from a tractor owner. The bribe was taken in exchange for waiving the penalty imposed on the tractor for illegal transportation and unauthorized heaping of sand for personal use.
Following trial, the court on October 30, 2025, found Kharsel guilty and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine.
After the conviction, the Odisha Vigilance Department announced that it will move the competent authority to stop Kharsel’s pension benefits in accordance with government rules.
