Bhubaneswar, May 18: A vigilance court has convicted and awarded three-year rigorous imprisonment to a former Tahasildar for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Khirabdi Behera, an OAS officer and former Tahasildar of Padampur in Rayagada district, has been convicted in a disproportionate assets (DA) case by the Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar.
The Special Judge, Vigilance, convicted the retired officer in connection with a case registered under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Following the trial, the court sentenced Behera to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and imposed a fine of Rs. 1,00,000. The conviction marks a significant development in Odisha Vigilance’s continued crackdown on corruption and illicit asset accumulation among public servants.
Khirabdi Behera had earlier served as Tahasildar of Padampur in Rayagada district before his retirement from service. Odisha Vigilance had charge-sheeted him after completing an investigation into the DA allegations.
In the aftermath of the conviction, Odisha Vigilance stated that it will move the competent authority for stoppage of pension benefits of the retired officer in accordance with prevailing rules following his conviction in the corruption case.
