In a significant crackdown on official corruption, the Special Judge, Vigilance, Balangir, on Saturday convicted Chittaranjan Behera, Assistant Executive Engineer (Electrical), TPWODL, MRT Raurkela Circle, in connection with a bribery case and sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment along with a monetary fine.
Following the pronounced judgment, Behera was immediately taken into judicial custody and sent to jail to serve out his term.
The case dates back to his previous tenure as a Junior Engineer (JE) at the Electrical Section in Binika, Subarnapur. Odisha Vigilance had booked and charge-sheeted Behera under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
According to anti-corruption officials, Behera had demanded and accepted an illegal gratification of Rs 8,000 from a farmer registered under the state’s “Jalanidhi Yojana.” The bribe was extorted in exchange for issuing regular electricity bills instead of provisional bills for an agricultural motor pump installed on the beneficiary’s farmland.
Upon proving the charges in court beyond reasonable doubt, the Special Vigilance Court delivered a guilty verdict.
Following the conviction, official sources confirmed that Odisha Vigilance will promptly move the competent departmental authority to initiate proceedings for Chittaranjan Behera’s formal dismissal from service.
