Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has ordered for compulsory retirement to three officials accused of corruption.
They are former Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Basanta Kumar Behera, Deputy Commissioner (Excise) Dillip Kumar Nag and Deputy Conservator of Forests Sarat Panda
During his posting as the RTO, Dhenkanal, Behera was involved in two vigilance cases. He was booked by the State Vigilance in 2018 for acquiring Rs 2.5 crore assets in his name and in the name of his family members disproportionate to his known sources of income. During the house search, cash worth over Rs 3 lakh was seized. He was arrested and forwarded to the court. He was placed under suspension on July 6, 2018.
Besides, Behera was also booked in another case in 2014 for misappropriation of government revenue of Rs 4,62,382 towards the collection of tax and penalties of different vehicles during his tenure as RTO, Bargarh.
The total assets of Behera as estimated by the Vigilance is Rs 3,61,19,226.
Similarly, Dillip Kumar Nag, during his posting as Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Cuttack, in 2012 was booked by the Vigilance in a disproportionate assets case for acquiring Rs 1.5 crore assets in his name and in the name of his family members beyond his known legal sources of income. The Vigilance officials had seized Rs 47.5 lakh in cash from his house. It was the second highest seizure of cash from the house of a government servant in Odisha.
After his arrest, Nag was placed under suspension from November 20, 2012, to March 2, 2015. He had neither obtained any permission nor furnished any information regarding transactions of moveable and immovable properties in gross violations of the provisions of Odisha Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959.
Apart from these two officials, Panda has also been given compulsory retirement. The Vigilance officials had seized disproportionate assets over Rs 5.23 crore during raids on his residences and office.
