Vigilance cases against IAS officers in Odisha

Vigilance cases against IAS officers in Odisha

( From 2000 to 2014), exposed  under RTI

Dear  friends

In 2014, RTI application was  filed  to the PIO, office  of Directorate  of Vigilance, Cuttack  seeking  information about  details of  Vigilance  cases  filed against IAS and OAS  officers,  Final Report prepared,  Charge sheet filed  from 2000 to 2014.  The PIO and First Appellate Authority rejected RTI Application on the ground of voluminous information. Then Second Appeal was filed  in Odisha Information Commission which was registered  as SA No. 278/2015 .  Just after this  case, the State  Govt. released  a notification  to keep  office of State Vigilance from  ambit of RTI Act. The  decision of the State Govt. has been challenged in High Court  which is still pending.

However, the case  was  heard  by Chief Information Commissioner  in 2017  and its  hearing  continued for two years , as the PIO   continued  seeking  time  again and again  to prepare  such  huge  information. At last   we  arrived  at  negotiating table  before  the Commission    that  information about only IAS  officers  will be provided  to the appellant. Accordingly, the  Commission passed order dated 14.3.19. On 16.7.19, the PIO  supplied the  following  information.

·         Rate  of  conviction against IAS  officers is very low.

·         IAS officers  involved  in  infamous Dal Scam against  whom Vigilance  has filed  has been withdrawn.

·         Many IAS  officers  have been given protection in name of  pending investigation and  submission of  final report.

Sl. No	Name  of IAS officers	Vigilance Case Number	Year of case  filed	Present Status
1	Sri Moadan Mohan Mohanty	BBSR Case No. 44/2000	2000	Chargesheet  filed
2	Sri Sanjib Kumar Roy	BBSR Case No. 24/2001	2001	Convicted
		CTC Case No. 15/2003	2003	Chargesheet  filed
		BBSR Case No. 25/2007	2007	Case has been abated  on 10.3.14
		CTC Case No. 84/2012	2012	Pending investigation
		CTC Case No. 47/2008	2008	Final Report  submitted
3	Sri Sanjib Kumar Roy Sri Sanjay Rastogi	CTC Case No. 47/2008	2008	Final report  submitted
4	Sri Phani Bhusan Das	BBSR Case No. 39/2001	2001	Final Report submitted
5	Sri Kartik Ch. Das	BBSR Case No. 22/2002	2002	Final Report submitted
6	Sri Lokanath Mishra	BLS Case No. 23/2000	2000	Departmental action against Sri Mishra
7	Sri Jagadish Prasad Das	BBSR Case No. 10/2004	2004	Final Report submitted
		BBSR Case No. 7/2003	2003	Final report submitted
8	Sri Jagar Singh	CTC Case No. 27/2000	2000	Final Report submitted
9	Dr. Hrushikesh Panda	BPR Case No. 38/2002	2002	Final Report submitted
		BPR Case NO. 39/2002	2002	Final Report submitted
		BPR Case No. 40/2002	2002	Final Report submitted
		BPR Case No. 41/2002	2002	Final Report submitted
10	Sri S. Osatullah Sri Sanjib Mishra Sri Soumya Prasad Mishra	BPR Case No. 50/2002	2002	Final report submitted
11	Sri Prafulla Mishra	BBSR Case No. 9/2003	2003	Charge sheet  filed
		BBSR Case No. 34/2003	2003	Charge sheet  filed
		BBSR Case No. 35/2003	2003	Charge sheet  filed
12	Sri Vinod Kumar	BBSR Case No. 60/2003 BBSR Case No. 62/2003 BBSR Case No. 7/2005 BBSR Case No. 8/2005	2003 & 2005	Charge sheet  filed
	Sri Vinod Kumar	BBSR Case No. 12/2005	2005	Final Report prepared
	Sri Vinod Kumar	BBSR Case No. 18/2006 BBSR Case No. 27/2006 BBSR Case No. 32/2006 BBSR Case No. 33/2006 BBSR Case No. 49/2006 BBSR Case No. 54/2006 BBSR Case No. 57/2006 BBSR Case No. 59/2006 BBSR Case No. 60/2006 BBSR Case No. 32/2007 BBSR Case No. 34/2007 BBSR Case No. 38/2007 BBSR Case No. 48/2007 BBSR Case No. 50/2007 BBSR Case No. 51/2007 BBSR Case No. 52/2007 BBSR Case No. 53/2007 BBSR Case No. 11/2008 BBSR Case No. 6/2009 BBSR Case No. 22/2011	2006 & 2007 2008 2009 2011	Chargesheet  filed
	Sri Vinod Kumar	BBSR Case No. 56/2006 BBSR Case No. 54/2007	2006 2007	Convicted
13	Sri Surendra Nath Tripathy	CTC Case No. 30/2004	2004	Charge sheeted  against others
		CTC Case No. 5/2004	2004	Charge sheeted  against others
		CTC Case No. 6/2004	2004	Charge sheeted  against others
14	Sri Vijay Arora	BBSR Case No. 35/2007	2007	Final report  submitted
15	Sri Nityanada  Mohanty	CTC Case No. 10/2003	2003	Charge sheet filed
		CTC Case No. 9/2006	2006	Charge sheeted
16	Sri Bijay Kumar Dhal	CTC Case No. 24/2008	2008	Final Report  submitted
17	Sri Mayadhar Panigrahi	BBSR Case No. 28/2008	2008	Charge sheeted
		BBSR Case No. 29/2008	2008	Charge sheeted
		BBSR Case No. 33/2008	2008	Final Report submitted
19	Sri Himanshu Sekhar Samantaray	BBSR Case No. 37/2008	2008	Convicted
18	Sri R.N. Senapati	BBSR Case No. 49/2000	2000	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 30/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 32/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 35/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No.38/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 39/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 41/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 42/2003	2003	Charge sheeted against others
		CTC Case No. 12/2004	2004	Charge sheeted against others
		BBSR Case No. 13/2004	2004	Charge sheeted against others
		BPR Case No. 52/2005	2003	Final Report submitted
19	Sri Nikunja Kishor Sundaray	BBSR Case No. 36/2005	2005	Pending investigation
20	Sri I. Srinivas	CTC Case No. 14/2005	2005	Charge sheet against others
21	Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan	BBSR Case No. 12/2009	2009	Charge sheet  filed
		BBSR Case No. 43/2008	2008	Charge sheet against others
		SBP Case No. 28/2011	2011	Pending Investigation
22	Sri Bishnupada Sethi	CTC Case No. 33/2010	2010	Final Report submitted
23	Sri Srikant Prusty	CTC Case No. 44/2010	2010	Charge sheet  filed
24	Sri Rabindra Nath Das	CTC Case No. 60/2010	2010	Charge sheet  filed
25	Sri Bhagaban Ch. Das	BLS Case No. 52/2009	2009	Charge sheet  filed
26	Sri Ambika Prasad Mishra	SBP Case No. 90/2010	2010	Charge sheet  filed
27	Sri Pradipta Kumar Pattanayak Sri Ashok Kumat Tarenia Sri Jagadish Prasad Agrawal	BBSR Case No. 31/2005 BLS Case No. 59/2009	2005 2009	Charge sheet against  Sri Agrawal
28	Sri Benudhar Das	BBSR Case No. 48/2008	2008	Charge sheet  filed
29	Sri Pramod Kumar Pattanayak	BLS Case No. 54/2009	2009	Charge sheet  filed
30	Sri Alekha Chandra  Padihari	BBSR Case No. 7/2011	2011	Charge sheet  filed
31	Sri Debaraj Mishra	SBP Case No. 78/2014	2014	Charge sheet  filed

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 4.10.19

Vigilance Case of 2010 against Bishnupada sethi is hanging in balance

Vigilance cases against 9 IAS, 227 OAS officers

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government keeps claiming that it provides transparent government and has ‘zero tolerance’ to corruption, but the reality is far from this. The babus do not seem to be adhering to one of the Ts (transparency) of the 3T/5T mantra of the state government. This was reflected in a statement given by none other than Chief Minister himself to the State Assembly, Monday.

In a written reply to a question (No 605) of senior Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra, the CM said the vigilance department has filed 11 cases against nine IAS officers and 227 cases against OAS officers between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2019.

Out of 11 cases against nine IAS officers, the department has filed charge-sheets in six cases while investigation is still continuing in four cases while the final report has been submitted against one IAS officer.

As per the statement of the CM, the anti-corruption wing has filed a case against senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi May 11, 2010 during his tenure as director of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary department. The case was registered under Sections 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) PC Act, 1988/420/120-B of IPC.

Interestingly, the vigilance is sitting idle after submitting the final report against Sethi. Neither a charge-sheet has been filed nor departmental proceedings have been initiated against the officer who is now working as the special relief commissioner (SRC).

The vigilance has also filed a case against another IAS officer Srikanta Prusty along with a few others in June 2010. In this case, while departmental proceedings have been recommended against other officials, Prusty continues to remain off the hook.

The IAS officers against whom charge-sheets have been filed are Rabindranath Das, Ambika Prasad Mishra, Alekh Chandra Padhiary, Vinod Kumar and Debraj Mishra. All five officers have moved court against the vigilance and the cases are now sub judice.

The department has filed a case (No 84) against former vice chairman of Cuttack Development Authority Sanjib Kumar Ray December 28, 2012. However, six years have passed, but the vigilance has not been able to complete its probe. The Bhubaneswar division of the vigilance has registered a case against another IAS officer and former MD of Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation along with a few others in September 2015. In this case also, the investigation has not been completed yet.

The vigilance has not yet completed probe into cases registered against IAS officer Partha Sarathi Mishra. Two corruption cases have been filed against him in February 2017 and April 2017.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 4.10.19

( N.B. – News published  in Orissa  Pioneer  on 16.7.19 )

Lokayukta issued Notice to Crime Branch on Ghangapatna Land Scam

 Lokayukta issued Notice  to Addl. DG, Crime Branch seeking  detailed report  about inquiry  into  Ghangapatna land scam

Bhubaneswar: While  hearing a Complaint petition No. LY 289/19, Odisha Lokayukta issued  notice to Addl. DG, Crime Branch  to submit  detailed report  about inquiry into   huge Corruption, Irregularities in sale   and Purchase of lease  land  in Ghangapatna area  of  Bhubaneswar, Dist-Khurda by 17.10.19 . and fixed 21.10.19 for next  hearing  of the case.

On 29.8.19.,  Sri Pradip Pradhan, RTI Activist  had  filed  complaint  in the  office of  Lokayukta, Odisha  alleging  that Ghangaptana land scam which occurred in 2014  has been suppressed  by Crime Branch at the direction of  Chief Minister.

History  of Ghangapatna Land Scam in Bhubaneswar

  In August, 2014,   the local people and media  exposed that  huge acres of  leased land  of tribal people had been  illegally  acquired  by  late Kalpataru Das and his MLA Son Pranab Balabantaray  and Sri K.V.Singhdeo, BJP MLA in name of her daughter and many powerful people  connected  with BJD party  in Ghangapatana  area of Bhubaneswar  under jurisdiction of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar, Khurda  district.   After this expose, all the opposition political parties and Civil Society Groups  coming to the streets  organised  protest   dharana demanding CBI inquiry  into scam Yielding to public pressure on the issue,   Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on August 28, 2014  had directed the crime branch to conduct a probe into the scam and submit its report within two months.

2.  During that  time, Tahsildar, in his report to the revenue department, had pointed out large-scale irregularities in the sale and purchase of land in Ghangapatana and how middlemen, in connivance with officials, had fraudulently sold land in the area to several persons. He  had said that part of land that had been brought back to the government records had been purchased by K.V. Singh Deo’s daughter, Nivriti Kumari Singh Deo’s company, Nivriti Exports Private Limited, and another part by the Gokarneswar Charitable Trust, of which Pranab Balabantaray, MLA, son of late Sri Kalpataru Das, Minister for  Panchayat raj, Govt. of  Odisha   is the chief trustee.

3.    After  few  days of inquiry  by the Crime  Branch  and series of  arrests of  poor  tribal lease  holders,  the  Revenue  Department on 15^th  October , 2014  claimed  that 76 acreas  of  illegally  acquired  land had  been returned  back  to Govt. fold.

4.    Though  Crime  Branch  arrested poor  tribals  and few Govt.  officials,  but  it  did  not  take  any action against   the  political influential  people  like  Pranab Balabantaray, MLA, K.V. Singhdeo, BJP MLA  and others  who  had  manipulated  Govt. procedure  and  purchased  all leased  land  from poor  lease  holders  by  influencing  them  through  fraudulent means.

5.    Finding  abrupt  halt  in Crime Branch  inquiry  and Govt.  declaration  of  possession of  76 acres of  illegally acquired  land  without  any  official  notification, On 31.12.2014, RTI Application was  submitted to  the  PIO , Department  of Revenue  and Disaster  Management , Govt. of  Odisha  seeking  information about (a) details  of allegation made for illegally occupying the Ghangapatna land  under  Khurda  district , (b) name of the persons, institutions or  organisations who have illegally  occupied the land  and quantity  of land occupied by them, (c) copy of the  documents which contain about  the land  returned back  to Govt., (d) laws  which was  followed by Govt.  to get the land returned back  to Govt.  Finding  denial  of  information  from the  Dept. of  Revenue and Disaster Management, office  of Collector, Khurda  and  Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar,  First  appeal dated 27.3.15., then  Second Appeal dt. 2.7.15 was  filed  in the  office  of  Odisha  Information Commission to  Conduct  an inquiry  into  it  and   issue  direction  to the  appropriate  authorities  to  provide  information free  of cost.

6.    After  two  years, the  Information Commission started  hearing  in 2017  and  after  plethora  of  notices issued  by the  Commission in 2017 and 2018, the office of  Tahasildar , Bhubaneswar  provided part  information on 8.2.18.  In the letter no. 1830 dt. 8.2.18., the  PIO  stated  that all  the original  case  records  have been seized by the  Economic Offence  wings  of  Odisha  Crime Branch  in connection with P.S. Case  No. 22 dated 9.9.2014. Since  the matter  is under  investigation by the EOW, Odisha Crime Branch, difficulties have been experienced  to provide  the  other  information.  The  PIO  also  provided Seizure  list  of  documents  seized  by Crime  Branch  from Tahasil  office  which   has not  yet  returned  back   by Crime  Branch, though 5  years  have passed.

7.     In view of the  situation  and  apprehending  suppression of investigation,  Sri Pradip Pradhan had  approached  Lokayukta, Odisha  to inquire  into the matter  and take  all legal action against the  people invlonvolvedhis scam. On 11.9.19.,  Bench of Lokayukta   heard the case  and  directed  Crime Branch  to submit the report.

Pradip Pradhan

  

M-9937843482

Date- 29.8.19

Lokpal Inquiry Report on Sanjib Marik Issues was suppressed by Govt.

Who in State  Govt.  suppressed Lokpal Inquiry Report on Police Officer Sanjib Marik Issues, Nobody knows in Govt.

Dept. of  Home, General Administration Dept. and  Governor’s house are  in dark  about  Lokpal Report

Dear friends

1.   In 2007,  few  Bihari Criminals  involved  in loot  of LIC office  and  subsequent  firing in Bhadrak  were  arrested  and  put  in jail. During  that  time, Sri Sanjib Marik  who  was  Inspector  General of  police   had extended  all supports  and made  all  necessary arrangements for meeting  of  relatives  of Criminals  with  them in jail. it was  alleged  that  Sri Marik had  misused his  power  and position in Govt.  which is  violation of All India Service  Conduct Rules 1968. After  this  issue  was cropped  in media, Chief Minister  suspended  Sri Marik  and  ordered  for   Inquiry    by Lokpal, Odisha under  the Odisha Lokpal  and Lokayukta Act 1995.

2.   Lokpal  registered  the  case ( Case  No. 403(R) /2007 ( Complaint  against Sri Sanjib Marik, IPS, Director, State  police Academy of police, Odisha ) and  conducted  inquiry into  it. On 27.3.2008., the Lokapal submitted Inquiry Report to Hon’ble Governor, Odisha. But the State  Govt. did  not  take  any  action  against  Sri Marik,  nor made any  public disclosure  of  report. This Report was kept secret by the  State  Govt.

3.   In 2015, after   Sri Sanjib Marik being appointed as Director General of Police, on dated 5.10.15, I   submitted RTI Application to the PIO, Dept. of Home, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about copy of Inquiry Report of Lokpal on Sanjib Marik.   The PIO  denied  to provide  the information  citing that the said file is not traceable  and  it comes under exempted category  under section 15  of Lokpal  and Lokayukta Act. Then, on 18.12.15., I made  first appeal to the First Appellate Authority  to hear the case and direct the PIO  to provide  the information  citing the reason that  Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act  is obsolete ( As  Odisha Lokayukta  Act  was enacted  in 2014  by repealing the Lokapal  and Lokayukta Act).  But the First Appellate Authority  rejected the  first appeal petition  upholding the decision of the PIO.  On 21.1.16., I filed  Second Appeal  to  Odisha  Soochana Commission  to  hear the  case  and direct  the PIO to supply  the information.

4.   In 2018,  Sri Sunil Kumar  Mishra, State Chief  Information Commissioner started  hearing the  Second Appeal case  No. 232/2016  and  issued  notice  to the  PIO, Dept. of  Home  in respect  of  disclosure  of  information.  During  hearing  , the PIO  and First Appellate  Authority  took  similar  stand and  made  submission that  the said  report  could not  be disclosed  under  section 15  of Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act  which was repealed  in 2014  with enactment  of new Act i.e.,  the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014. Then  on 8.5.19., the  Chief  Information Commissioner  asked  for  copy  of the  report.  When  Chief  Information Commissioner  asked for  the report, Ms. Monisha Banerjee, Deputy Secretary , Dept. of Home made a written submission with enclosures  of  the copy  of the letter of Lokpal to Govenor, Odisha  on 1.6.19  that  the said  report  was  not  available, as   Lokpal  submitted  their  report  to Hon’ble Governor on 27.3.2008

5.   On 22.6.19., RTI  was  filed  to  the PIO, office  of  Hon’ble  Governor, Odisha  seeking  copy  of the  report  submitted  by Lokpal  to the then  Governor in 2008. On 28.6.19., the PIO  forwarded RTI Application to the  PIO, office  of GA and PG Department  to provide  information. On 3.7.19., the PIO, dept. of  GA & PG wrote  a letter  to PIO, office  of Governor, Odisha  that  the said Report  is not  available . He  pointed  out  that  as  it  is closely  related  to Governor’s office, it  must  be  available  there  and  submitted  to  the applicant. On 10.9.19., the PIO, Dept. of GA &PG again wrote  a letter  to the PIO, office  of Governor   asking  him  to provide  the  information to the applicant  at  the earliest.

6.   Finding  delay  in supply  of the  information, I made  first appeal dated 16.8.19., to  the First Appellate  Authority, Office  of Governor, Odisha  to  provide  the  information.  On 16.9.19., the  First Appellate  authority  , while  disposing  the case  wrote  a letter  that  the said  information is not  available.

7.   On 28.8.19.,  the Chief  Information Commissioner  closed  the  case  issuing  warning  and strictures  to the PIO and First Appellate Authority  of Dept. of home  for  taking  almost  three  years  to  speak  the  fact  about  non-availability  of   report  of  Lokpal.  The  copy  of the  order  of the  Commission is  awaited.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 20.9.19