Ex-BDO, 2 others sentenced to 2-year in jail for graft

A vigilance court in Kalahandi district today sentenced an Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer and two others to two years' rigorous imprisonment for causing Rs 2.94 lakh loss to the state exchequer in the purchase of water coolers.
Special vigilance judge Chitranjan Dash also slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 each on the three for the offence committed during 2005-06.
The three convicts are OAS officer Benjamin Prasad Deogam, former BDO of Khariar block in Nuapada and now Deputy Secretary in tourism department; Labanya Sundar Nayak, former head clerk of Khariar block; and Tarachand Agrawal, supplier.
However, the three moved bail applications soon after being convicted and the court granted them bail.

According to the prosecution, the case was registered against the three for manipulation of records and showing undue favour to Agrawal by entertaining forged quotations and issuing purchase orders to him to supply six water coolers.
The water coolers supplied did not match with the quotation cited by the supplier and due tender process was also not adopted by the officials.
This caused excess payment to the tune of Rs 2,94,600.