Anti-Corruption Officals Raid Convicted IAS Officer’s Residence

Bhubaneswar: Vigilance sleuths on Wednesday raided the residence of IAS officer Binod Kumar, a day after he along with five other persons were found guilty in connection with a massive financial fraud in Orissa Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC).

The officials of anti-corruption agency raided his official residence at VIP Colony of Nayapalli here. However, he was not home.

Kumar’s wife told the Vigilance officials that he was out to consult the lawyers.

On Tuesday, Kumar, who had been serving as an Officer on Special Duty with MSME Department, was convicted along with five others by the Special Vigilance Court for financial irregularities of around Rs 55 lakh in 2000.

A former director of OHRDC, he was placed under suspension when the corruption charges were slapped against him in 2001, but later reinstated.

Kumar was earlier arrested in May 2016 for not appearing in the court despite repeated summons in connection with the OHRDC scam trial. He was released on bail later.

The IAS officer had allegedly conspired, sanctioned and disbursed loans to builders and contractors without obtaining adequate collateral security and proper scrutiny in 2000-2001.