Sambalpur RI takes action against two engineers for MNREGA fraud
Sambalpur: The Special Vigilance Court in Sambalpur has sentenced two former engineers to two years in prison for corruption in a road construction project under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The court found retired assistant engineer Sadananda Pradhan, formerly of the Maneswar block, and Biranchi Narayan Das, currently working as an assistant engineer at the Britang Irrigation Project in Daspalla, Nayagarh district, guilty of misappropriating government funds. Both were also fined.
The case dates back to 2008-09, when the engineers were allegedly accused of misrepresenting measurements and embezzling government funds in a road construction project under the MGNREGA in the Maneswar block.
The Odisha Vigilance Department filed a charge sheet against them following an investigation.
The Special Vigilance Judge convicted and sentenced both men on Saturday.
Following the verdict, vigilance officials said they would recommend to higher authorities that Pradhan’s pension be stopped and Das be dismissed from service.
The investigation was conducted by former vigilance DSP Dilip Kumar Kar.
Special Public Prosecutor Shobhan Anand Guru and Additional Public Prosecutor Debashish Prasad Das prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.
