Odisha engineer convicted after 38 years in disproportionate asset case
Gangadhar Sahoo, an engineer, was caught by the Department of Vigilance for assets worth rop 4,06,220 to his known sources of income in 1984
An engineer was convicted after 38 years of being charged with disposing of property charges against his known source of income in Odisha.
Special Judge, Special Court (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, Biswajit Das, convicted Gangadhar Sahoo, Former-Executive Engineer, Command Area Development Agency-I, Bhubaneswar His known sources of income in 1984.
The judge sentenced Sahoo, now 75, to two years of under-rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹ 20,000 and under-payment of a fine of ₹ 20,000 and a further three months under the offense of Section 5 (2). Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
“The case of the inordinate delay is attributable to the lack of special court time available. The case was transferred multiple times from one court to another. Moreover, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 was not stringent compared to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, ”said Ajit Pattnaik, Public Prosecutor, Special Court.
“The present special court which convicted the engineer was a Class I officers and politicians for holding disposition of asset cases.” Pattnaik.
At that time, the engineer had bought three plots in Bhubaneswar and one at Puri. Besides, the vigilance sleuths had recovered 1252 grams of gold from his possession. Instead of a huge disproportionate case of detection, Sahoo’s career in government is like a regular employee. He is getting regular pension. As per the present action, the officers are being held after a suspension following a massive disproportionate asset case.
