During its ongoing corruption-check drive in the rural housing scheme, the State Vigilance has arrested seven public servants on charges of bungling Government funds.
It has so far registered 11 criminal cases, initiated 48 open enquiries, 34 secret verifications, 25 petition enquiries and conducted 54 surprise checks against the corrupt public servants since the drive began on June 25.
During the operation on Wednesday, Vigilance sleuths arrested Dillip Kumar Das, GPTA and Muralidhar Sen, PEO of Antara GP under Baleswar district’s Kharia block, Jeturam Majhi, PEO of Badakumari GP and Rikhi Ram Chandrakar, WEO of Umarkote Block and Mangal Singh, PEO of Aruhabad GP under Bahanaga Block.
On Tuesday, Vigilance sleuths had arrested two former Panchayat Extension Officers (PEOs) of different gram panchayats for bungling funds during their tenures.
They were Koraput district’s Narayanpatna GP former PEO Bipin Ganda and Kalahandi district’s Karlamunda GP former PEO Raj Kishore Sahoo.
The two former PEOs had entered into criminal conspiracies with beneficiaries and bungled Rs 5,33,500 and Rs 75,000, respectively.
Besides, a case has been registered against Prabin Kumar Panigrahi, PEO, lorentus Kerketta, former PEO and Saroj Kumar Sahoo, GRS of Bharsuja GP under Agalpur block in Balangir district and four beneficiaries for showing undue official favour in allotment of houses and misappropriating Rs 1,20,000.
Similarly, a case was registered against Anil Tandi, GRS and Bandita Nayak, GPTA of Sihini GP under Belpada block in Balangir district and five beneficiaries for showing undue favour and bungling Rs 2,95,000 under the IAY schemes.
The Vigilance too registered cases against Tuna Sahoo, former PEO and Mangal Singh, PEO, both of Aruhabad GP under Bahanaga block in Baleswar and four beneficiaries for showing favour and misappropriating Rs 2,05,000 meant for IAY houses.