Two Former Odisha Officials Sentenced to Three Years Jail in Bribery Case

Bhubaneswar: A Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar has convicted two former government officials, including a retired Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer, in a bribery case linked to the issuance of a passport verification certificate.

The court sentenced Bijay Chandra Mohapatra, former OAS officer and Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Department, and Benudhar Mohanty, former Private Secretary to the Director of the Water Resources Department, to three years of rigorous imprisonment. Both have also been fined.

According to officials, the Odisha Vigilance had chargesheeted the duo under Sections 13(2), 13(1)(d), and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The officials were accused of demanding and accepting a bribe from an individual for issuing a verification certificate under the Tatkal passport scheme.

Following the conviction, the Vigilance Department has stated that it will approach the competent authority to initiate the process of stopping the pensions of both convicted officials.