Odisha: 181 Government Officials Detained on Corruption Allegations in 2024

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Odisha: 181 Government Officials Detained on Corruption Allegations in 2024

Bhubaneswar, Dec 31 (NationPress) The Odisha Vigilance Department has detained 181 government officials amid allegations of corruption within the state in 2024.

This information was disclosed on Tuesday in the vigilance department's annual report for 2024, which emphasizes the substantial measures taken against both government and private individuals involved in corrupt activities.

According to the report, anti-corruption operatives arrested 181 corrupt officials, which included 37 Class-I, 27 Class-II, and 85 Class-III employees throughout 2024. Additionally, 21 private individuals implicated in corrupt practices were also taken into custody during this timeframe.

The vigilance department filed 200 cases against 308 individuals, including 50 Class-I officers, 36 Class-II officers, 131 Class-III employees, and 72 private individuals in 2024.

“Out of the 200 cases registered in 2024, 60 cases were initiated for the acquisition of disproportionate assets against 66 public servants and 36 private individuals. The total value of disproportionate assets in these 60 cases exceeded Rs 131 crore. There were 29 DA cases against Class-I officers and 15 DA cases against Class-II officers,” the vigilance department stated in its report.

Six Chief Engineer rank officers were implicated by the Odisha Vigilance for possessing significant disproportionate assets in 2024. The anti-corruption team also discovered 229 plots and 32 buildings/flats in Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas, as well as locations outside Odisha during their raids on corrupt officials.

The vigilance department also registered 96 trap cases against 115 individuals, including 13 Class-I officers, for accepting bribes totaling Rs 19.25 lakh during 2024.

In total, 44 cases were filed in 2024 against 91 individuals, comprising 65 public servants and 26 private individuals, for misappropriating public funds amounting to approximately Rs 14.87 crore.

“Regarding prosecutions, we achieved 105 convictions in 2024, yielding a 50 percent conviction rate. Furthermore, the conviction rate for DA cases was 80 percent. Of the 105 convictions, 18 were Class-I officers, 18 Class-II officers, 74 Class-III employees, 6 Class-IV employees, 16 other public servants, and 15 private individuals. In total, 147 accused individuals were convicted during this time,” the vigilance department added.

In 2024, 25 government officials were terminated from their positions after the court found them guilty of engaging in various corrupt practices.