Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has reserved its verdict on the anticipatory bail application of senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi in connection with a bribery case of CBI involving the Bridge and Roof Company Ltd.
After completing hearing, the High Court also ruled that the interim protection from arrest granted to Sethi earlier will continue to be in force until the final order is pronounced.
The case relates to an incident on December 8, 2024, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended Chanchal Mukherjee, Director of Bridge and Roof Company Ltd., while allegedly accepting bribe from a contractor near a prominent hotel in Bhubaneswar. Besides Mukherjee, the CBI arrested contractor Santosh Maharana and alleged middleman Debadatta Mahapatra, triggering a wider probe into corruption and influence peddling.
During the course of the investigation, the name of Bishnupada Sethi surfaced, leading the CBI to conduct a raid on his official quarters in February 2025. Sethi publicly denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was being framed in a politically motivated conspiracy.
Sethi approached the High Court earlier this month seeking interim protection from action in the ongoing CBI probe. The court had granted temporary relief and also directed that security arrangements be made for Sethi, citing concerns over his safety.
