Panchayat Officer Gets 2-Year Jail Term In Bribery Case In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A panchayat VLW-cum-executive officer was on Monday convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years by a court in a bribery case of Odisha Vigilance.

A special vigilance court in Bhubaneswar also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Ashok Kumar Patasahani. In default of payment of fine, he will have to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for six months more for the offence U/s 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of P.C. Act,1988, an official release said.

Patasahani, a VLW-cum-executive officer of Hirapur GP under Begunia Block in Khurda was arrested by Vigilance in 2012 for demanding and accepting a bribe from a beneficiary for the preparation of bill against an IAY house constructed by him and disbursement of the second instalment in his favour.

Vigilance had registered a case under section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d)/7 P.C. Act,1988.

Odisha Vigilance will now move the competent authority for the dismissal of Patasahani following his conviction.