Bhubaneswar: Intensifying the drive against corruption, the Vigilance Directorate of Odisha has caught 20 police officials and employees red-handed while accepting bribes over the past 18 months, the state Assembly was informed on Monday.
The information was shared in the date presented by Chief Minister Mohan Charan M
ajhi while answering a question in the House.
As per official statistics, altogether 271 government officials and employees were arrested in vigilance-related cases during this period. Vigilance Courts also recorded 174 convictions.
This apart, the Chief Minister’s statement showed that 33 officials were dismissed from service, while pension benefits of 65 retired officials were withheld due to their involvement in corruption cases.
The CM said that the Vigilance Directorate continues to prioritise trap operations, which expose bribery at various levels of public service. The government is committed to sustained monitoring and investigation to ensure transparency and accountability in all departments, he added.