Bhubaneswar: A Vigilance court here today awards 3 years of Rigorous Imprisonment to tainted IAS officer Vinod Kumar and 5 others in connection with fraud in Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (OHRDC).
Former MD of Orissa Rural Housing Development Corporation, Vinod Kumar, IAS, was charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance in BBSR Vigilance PS Case 57/2006 under the PC Act.
Today, IAS Vinod Kumar was convicted along with five other accused persons namely— Swosti Ranjan Mohapatra, Company Secretary, Satya Prakash Behera, Jr Loan Officer, Jnanendra Swain, Asst System Analyst as well as Debadutta Ray, MD & Bibhuti Bhusan Swain, Partner of Bhumika Builders Pvt Ltd under Section 13 (2) of the PC Act, 1988 and under Sections 467,468,471, 420, 120(B) of the IPC.
Convicts Vinod Kumar, S. R. Mohapatra, S. P. Behera and J. Swain were sentenced by Special Judge Vigilance, BBSR to undergo RI for 3 years and to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 each. In default of the fine payment, the convicts shall undergo further RI for six months on each of the offences, the court ruled.
Similarly, convict Debadutta Ray and Bibhuti Bhusan Swain were sentenced to undergo RI for 3 years each and to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 each. In default of the fine payment, the convicts shall undergo RI for six months under Sections 420, 467,468,471, and 120(B) of the IPC. All the sentences are to run concurrently.
It is pertinent to mention here that this is the fifth consecutive conviction of the tainted IAS Vinod Kumar in corruption cases. The case was investigated by ex-DSP Vigilance Sarat Mohapatra and DP Tripathi and was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor of Odisha Vigilance Hemant K Swain.