The Additional Special Vigilance Judge, Bhubaneswar on Tuesday awarded a three-year jail term and imposed a fine of `5,000 to former Pipili tehsildar and incumbent Malkangiri Sub-Collector Pravat Kumar Mahanandia on bribery charges.
In default of payment of fine, Mahanandia would further undergo simple imprisonment for six months. Both the sentences are to run concurrently.
A case was registered against Mahanandia on August 4, 2003 by Vigilance sleuths for demand of illegal gratification of `2,000 from one Satyabadi Mishra of Dandamukundapur under Pipili police station in Puri district for conversion of his agricultural land to homestead land.
He was caught red handed at that time and subsequently arrested and forwarded to court on August 5. On completion of investigation, the Mahanandia was chargesheeted in the case to face the trial in the court of law.
After hearing all the parties, the court on Tuesday convicted Mahanandia and imposed the punishment.