Bhubaneswar, Oct 5 (IANS): The Odisha government on Friday issued premature retirement orders to four officials for their involvement in corruption cases.
The officials were sent on compulsory retirement after corruption charges were proven against them following a Vigilance investigation.
The officials are Dhenkanal regional transport officer Basanta Kumar Behera, Deputy Commissioner of Excise Dillip Kumar Nag, Deputy Conservator of Forests Sarat Chandra Panda and Assistant Civil Supplies Officer Ashok Kumar Majhi, government sources said.
The vigilance department had booked them for amassing disproportionate assets.
Behera was booked by the anti-corruption agency in 2018 for allegedly amassing assets worth Rs 3.6 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income. The assets were found in his name and in the name of his family members, said sources.
Similarly, Nag was arrested by the vigilance department in a disproportionate assets case after properties worth Rs 1.5 crore possessed by him were found by the agency. During a raid at his residence, more than Rs 47.5 lakh in cash was seized.
Panda was posted as Deputy Conservator of Forests at Khariar division in Nuapada district in 2017. He was booked in a disproportionate assets case for acquiring assets in his name and in the name of his family members to the tune of more than Rs 4.5 crore.
During investigation, bank deposits of more than Rs 4 crore were found in his name and in the names of his family members. It is the highest detection of cash in the account of a government servant and his family members in Odisha, sources said.
Majhi, Assistant Food and Civil Supply Officer in the Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Department, is facing two cases of corruption, including amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He is currently under suspension for failing to discharge his duties during cyclone 'Fani'.
Notably, the state government had last month decided to go for premature retirement of employees with doubtful integrity or for their inefficiency in public service.
The General Administration and Public Grievance department has issued a circular, asking all the secretaries to weed out such officers and employees.