Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced setting up of two new Vigilance courts, one in Dhenkanal district and the other in Angul.
“The State Vigilance is very actively following the anti-corruption drive. We have opened Vigilance offices in every revenue district. We have established two additional Vigilance courts in Sundargarh and Cuttack. Two more Vigilance courts will also be opened in Angul and Dhenkanal soon,” Patnaik said.
He was speaking at the valedictory function of the Vigilance Awareness Week here.
Vigilance Director Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma said his department has registered 449 cases this year which include cases against 64 Class-I officers. “last year, the Vigilance had registered 464 cases whereas during this year till September 449 cases have been registered, including cases against 64 Class-I, 74 Class-II and 315 Class-III officers,” said Sharma.
He also pointed out that the Vigilance had arrested 288 accused in different cases and forwarded them to the court in 2015. This year till September, 285 accused persons have been arrested which include 29 Class-I and 27 Class-II officers, he informed.
Cases numbering 78 were closed in 2015 while 57 cases ended by September this year. As many as eight Class-I and six Class-II officers have been convicted, Sharma said.
During the last five years, 134 public servants including five Class-I, 15 Class-II and 108 Class-III public servants have been dismissed from service consequent upon their conviction in Vigilance cases, said Sharma.