Sundargarh: A special Vigilance court in Sundargarh on Saturday convicted the former Soil Conservation Overseer-cum-Project Implementing Agency of Lahunipada in a bribery case and sentenced him to undergo 4 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The accused has been identified as Rabi Ratna Kariali, Ex-Soil Conservation Overseer-cum-Project Implementing Agency (Retired), Lahunipada, Samardari, Dist-Sundargarh.
Kariali was charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance in Sambalpur Vigilance PS Case U/s 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d)/7 PC Act,1988 IPC for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a complainant to prepare the final bill for release of payment towards different watershed project works in Lahunipada.
Kariali was convicted by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Sundargarh and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 4 years and to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 and in default of payment of the fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for 1 year more for the offence U/s 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act,1988.
The court further sentenced him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 3 years and to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 and in default of payment of the fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for 1 year more for the offence U/s 7 PC Act,1988. Both the sentences are to run concurrently.
Further, the convict Rabi Ratna Kariali was sent to jail custody to serve his sentence.
Odisha Vigilance will now move the competent authority for the stoppage of the pension of Rabi Ratna Kariali following his conviction. Further details are awaited.