Bhubaneswar, Sept 18: In a significant judgment, the Special Judge (Vigilance), Balasore, on Wednesday convicted two retired Civil Supplies officials for their involvement in the large-scale misappropriation of rice meant for the Public Distribution System (PDS). The court sentenced each of them to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with a fine.

The convicted officials have been identified as Jhasaketan Pradhan, former Assistant Civil Supplies Officer, Balasore, and Bijay Kumar Nayak, former Store-cum-Godown Assistant at the Rice Receiving Centre (RRC), Balasore. Odisha Vigilance had charge-sheeted both officials under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as well as Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Investigations revealed that the duo abused their official positions and, in criminal conspiracy, misappropriated 1,266.26 quintals of PDS rice, causing a massive financial loss to the state exchequer.

Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance announced that it will recommend stopping the pension benefits of the convicted officials. The judgment has been welcomed as a strong message against corruption in the PDS system, which is meant to serve the poor and needy.

Powered by Froala Editor