Bhubaneswar, Nov 22: In a significant judgment, the Special Vigilance Court, Bhubaneswar, today convicted Bijay Chandra Mohapatra (OAS-I), former Joint Secretary (Retired) of the Agriculture Department, and Sri Benudhar Mohanty, former Private Secretary (Retired) to the Director, Water Resources Department, Odisha, in a bribery case investigated by Odisha Vigilance.

Both officials had been charge-sheeted under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from a complainant in exchange for issuing a verification certificate for a Tatkal passport application.

The court sentenced each of them to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine.

Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance announced that it will initiate proceedings before the competent authority to stop the pension benefits of both retired officials, as mandated under relevant service and pension rules.

A detailed report is awaited.