Ex-accountant gets 3-yr RI in DA case

Rourkela: A Vigilance court in Sundargarh has convicted a former accountant at the DFO (territorial) office in the district in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case, and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment. The special Vigilance Judge also slapped a cash fine of Rs 1,00,000 on Hemanta Kumar Mishra, now retired, in addition to the sentence. The court has also ordered confiscation of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 3,40,669 belonging to Mishra, Mishra was earlier charge-sheeted by the Odisha Vigilance in the case which was filed under provisions of Section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(e) of PC Act 1988 for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Sources said following the sentencing, the Vigilance is planning to move the competent authority for the stoppage of pension to Mishra. Former Vigilance Inspector Sidheswar Sahu of Sambalpur division investigated the case, while Shyam Sundar Mishra, Spl PP, Vigilance, Sundargarh appeared for the prosecution.