A former Gram Rojgar Sevak (GRS) in Kalahandi district has been handed a three-year prison sentence following a decisive anti-corruption ruling by the judiciary.
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the Hon’ble Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhawanipatna, convicted Santanu Nag—formerly posted at Balsi Gram Panchayat under the Kesinga block—under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
The case dates back to investigations by the Odisha Vigilance, which filed a rigorous charge sheet against Nag following allegations of corruption. According to investigators, Nag demanded and accepted illegal gratification from a local beneficiary under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The bribe was extorted in exchange for preparing muster rolls and facilitating the online transfer of wage amounts directly to the accounts of labourers engaged in land development work on the beneficiary’s property.
State anti-corruption authorities have reiterated their strict stance against graft, highlighting that swift judicial outcomes are critical to safeguarding public welfare schemes meant for rural workers. Nag, who was previously disengaged from service, will now serve a simple imprisonment term alongside a monetary fine for abusing his official position.
