Bhubaneswar, Oct 3: The pensionary benefits of a former Assistant Commercial Tax Officer in Ganjam district have been withheld permanently following his conviction in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.

Ramesh Chandra Behera, former Assistant Commercial Tax Officer at the Unified Check Gate, Chikiti had been charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 109 of the Indian Penal Code, for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The case was investigated by Odisha Vigilance and subsequently tried in the court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Berhampur, where Behera was found guilty. He was convicted and sentenced to undergo three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine.

Following the conviction, Odisha Vigilance moved the competent authority to take appropriate departmental action against Behera. In response, the competent authority invoked provisions under the Odisha Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1992, leading to the complete and permanent withholding of his pensionary benefits.

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