Sambalpur: The Special Vigilance Court in Sambalpur has sentenced two former engineers to two years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with corruption in a road construction project under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The court found retired assistant engineer Sadananda Pradhan, formerly of Maneswar block, and Biranchi Narayan Das, currently serving as assistant engineer at the Britang irrigation project in Daspalla, Nayagarh district, guilty of misappropriating government funds.
Both were also fined.
The case dates back to 2008–09, when the engineers allegedly presented false measurements in a road construction project under MGNREGA in Maneswar block, thereby siphoning off government money.
Odisha Vigilance filed a chargesheet against them following its investigation.
The Special Vigilance Judge Saturday convicted both men and handed down the sentences.
Following the verdict, Vigilance officials indicated that they would recommend to higher authorities that Pradhan’s pension be stopped and that Das be dismissed from service.
The investigation was conducted by former Vigilance DSP Dilip Kumar Kar.
The case was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor Shobhan Anand Guru and Additional Public Prosecutor Debashis Prasad Das on behalf of the state.