Even though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik parrots the rhetoric of honesty and transparency, the State Vigilance Directorate’s inordinate delay in filing chargesheet against a corrupt official of the Odisha State Industrial Corporation (OSIC) has cast aspersions over Patnaik’s claims and the anti-graft agency’s efficiency and transparency.
It is alleged that the Vigilance and authorities have shielded the corrupt official, even though there are plethora of corruption charges against him. The graft charges have been proven and
there is clinching evidence against him.
Sources said a Cuttack-based civil society group Odisha lokayukta Abhijan filed an FIR with the Cuttack Vigilance SP (Cell) on July 6, 2015 against OSIC Joint Manager B Brahma for allegedly accepting illegal gratification from a Tata Steel limited dealer of the corporation and accompanied him on a foreign tour of Vienna and Prague, on the basis of a casual leave (Cl) application without any approval of the Government during November 2012.
The company in a letter to the OSIC Managing Director had declared names of 16 dealers for a pleasure trip abroad only with their wife, son or daughter; however, Brahma forced the dealer to take him on the foreign pleasure trip.
The dealer Nabayug Structures had lodged a complaint in his letter on
January 24, 2014 with the then OSIC MD stating that, which proves complicity of the officer.
Though the Abhijan has submitted copies of its allegations to the Governor, Chief Minister, Vigilance Director and even the DGP, no action has been taken and the accused is still moving scot free. Former Nilgiri MlA Pratap Sarangi had also in a letter had demanded action against the officer but in vain.
It is alleged that Brahma was hand in glove with former ND of OSIC Parthasarathi Mishra, who is cooling his heels behind bars after being arrested by the Vigilance sleuths. Brahma is allegedly involved in illegal appointment of new dealers, selection of awardees for CM’s Innovation Fund, orders for barbed wire mesh, orders for OPEPA, illegal payment of incentive to dealers, and illegal advance to electrical contractors and plethora of other charges.
However, the anti-graft agency instead of taking action against the corrupt official, in a letter on July 31, 2015 has instead asked the MSME Secretary to investigate about the Abhijan’s advisor Debesh Das, a former employee of the OSIC.
To make matters worse the Vigilance instead of protecting the whistleblower has sent all the original petitions submitted by Das to the MSME Secretary.
BJP MlA KV Singh Deo in a star question in the State Assembly has asked for the action taken report of the complaint of former Nilgiri MlA Sarangi to the Vigilance on December 12, 2012 to investigate the illegal foreign visit of the OSIC officer during November 2012.
Deo has also sought to know has the agency filed any FIR. If, no, why it is protecting a proven corrupt official for four years and whether the Chief Minister will assure when FIR will be filed by Vigilance against the culprit and the abettors.
The Chief Minister is slated to give a reply on Monday in the Assembly regarding the question and remains to be seen what his answer is.