Hatadihi: A three-member bench of the state Lokayukta has directed 10 government officials including a public representative to file their replies over alleged financial irregularities in various developmental works in Sadha gram panchayat (GP) of Hatadihi block in Keonjhar district. The Lokayukta had issued notice to Keonjhar Collector and Hatadihi BDO over a case (LY 613/2021), filed before it April 5, 2022. The BDO and the Collector filed their replies, June 6, 2022.
Later, Lokayukta directed a probe into the irregularities September 26, 2022 which was submitted before May 2, 2023. On the basis of the preliminary findings, a three-member bench of the state Lokayukta has issued notices to 10 government officials and a public representative to file their replies. The notices have been issued to the concerned officials which include former BDOs Susant Barik, Jaydev Das, and Anand Chandra Sethy, three former assistant executive engineers Ninindra Nath Nayak, Sushil Seth, Ashis Banerjee, two engineers Prafulla Behera, Jyoti Ranjan Samantray, for mer PEO Dambarudhar Pattnaik, former sarpanch Jayanti Samal.
Meanwhile, former assistant engineer Ninindra Nath Nayak was killed in a road mishap May 9, 2023 before the Lokayukta could serve its notice on them. The Lokayukta has also issued notice to the principal secretary of state Panchayati Raj department and sought his opinion. When contacted, former engineers Prafulla Behera, Jyoti Ranjan Samantray, former sarpanch Jayanti Samal, former PEO Dambarudhar Pattnaik, and former BDO Ananda Chandra Sethy said that they are yet to receive the notice and will file their reply after receiving the same. They ruled out any irregularities in developmental works being undertaken in the panchayat.
