Chief Engineer Among 6 More ‘Tainted’ Officers Forced To Retire In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The state government on Wednesday issued compulsory retirement order to six officers, including a Chief Engineer, for allegedly resorting to dishonest, inefficient and corrupt practices in their services.

The officers who have been ordered to take compulsory retirement include three executive engineers and two block education officers. In addition, 14 officers have so far been fired or forced to retire.

Chief Engineer–cum-Chief Electrical Inspector, Sambalpur, Sunil Kumar Panda; Executing Engineer of Rural Works (Electrical) Division in Berhampur, Jagannath Sethi; Executive Engineer, (Testing and Calibration) in Bhubaneswar, Deepak Kumar Bhuyan; Executive Engineer (ED & Inspection) in Bhubaneswar, Prashant Kumar Mishra; Block Education Officer, Gunupur in Raygada Antaryami Behera and Braja Kumar Nayak, Block Education Officer of Nuagada block in Gajapati district.

Panda, who was under suspension for corruption charges, was found in possession of assets worth Rs 3.26 crore.

Executive Engineer, Berhampur Rural Works Electrical Division, Sethi, too was under suspension after raids on his property by the Vigilance revealed his assets worth Rs 7.63 crore.

Similarly, two cases of corruption were filed against Executive Engineer (Testing and Calibration) of Bhubaneswar, Bhuyan who is also Deputy Electrical Inspector.

Executive Engineer (ED & Inspection), Bhubaneswar and Deputy Electrical Inspector Prashant Kumar Mishra too has been charged with corruption and asked to retire.

Behera, the Block Education Officer, Gunupur, was arrested on March 2, 2022 while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000.

Block Education Officer, Nuagadh, Gajapati, Nayak was caught red-handed by anti-corruption sleuths while accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 in his office. He has been forced to retire due to dishonesty.

With these officers, total 164 officials have been issued the government order to take compulsory retirement on various grounds so far.