Sambalpur, Ap 25: In a major anti-corruption development, Odisha Vigilance has successfully secured the conviction of two engineers involved in the misappropriation of government funds.

The Special Vigilance Judge in Sambalpur convicted Sadananda Pradhan, former Assistant Engineer (Retired) of Maneswar Block, Sambalpur, and Biranchi Narayan Dash, currently Assistant Engineer at Brutang Irrigation Project, Daspalla, Nayagarh, who previously served as Junior Engineer in Maneswar Block, Sambalpur.

Both were charge-sheeted under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(c) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with Sections 409, 468, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

The case pertains to the financial year 2008–09, when the accused allegedly recorded inflated measurements for a road improvement project under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Maneswar Block, thereby misappropriating public funds.

The Court sentenced both Pradhan and Dash to rigorous imprisonment of two years and imposed fines. Following their conviction, Odisha Vigilance will seek the stoppage of Pradhan’s pension and the dismissal from service of Dash.