Bhubaneswar: The Special Judge, Vigilance, Balasore, today convicted two retired Civil Supplies officials for their role in the large-scale misappropriation of rice meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS) and sentenced each of them to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with fine.
The convicted officials are Jhasaketan Pradhan, Former Assistant Civil Supplies Officer, Balasore, and Bijay Kumar Nayak, Former Store-cum-Godown Assistant at the Rice Receiving Centre (RRC), Balasore. Both were charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 409 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.
The duo abused their official positions and misappropriated 1,266.26 quintals of PDS rice by acting in criminal conspiracy, thereby causing huge loss to the state government.
Following their conviction, Odisha Vigilance announced that it will move the competent authority to stop the pension benefits of the convicted officials.
