Vigilance raids on transport official

The Statesman (Kolkata). March 20, 2009
Statesman News Service

CUTTACK/BHAWANIPATNA, March 19: Vigilance sleuths conduced simultaneous raids on various establishments connected with Mr Badriknath Patra, joint commissioner, state transport authority, Cuttack on charges of possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income. The total movable and immovable assets so far detected amounts more than Rs 43 lakh, sources said.
The anti-graft officers came across moveable assets like costly household articles, hard cash and deposits in different banks and premium.
Immovable assets like one triple-storied building, one double-storied building, one single-storied building, one market complex, four quarter for rent and two Kachha house at College Road, Baragarh, mango tope at Sihala mouza and three plots at Baragarh town worth about Rs 29 lakh were also located. Mr Patra had also deposited Rs 2.5 lakh in the Berhampur Development Authority for allocation of a house at Berhampur.
Meanwhile, the vigilance sleuths arrested Mr Sujit Kumar Behera, assistant engineer (electrical), Junagarh in Kalahandi district on charges of demand and acceptance of bribe. Mr Behera was caught red-handed while accepting gratification in his office room today.
Vigilance sources said Mr Behera had been demanding bribe from Mr Asif Abu Baker for forwarding the power enhancement report to the executive engineer. The bribe money was recovered from the possession of Mr Behera and seized in presence of witnesses. His hand wash gave positive chemical reaction confirming acceptance of bribe, vigilance sources said adding that investigation is on.
Sources further informed Judhistira Pradhan ex-peon, both of MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur were convicted in a vigilance court and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment and fine, in default of which to undergo another spells of rigorous imprisonment. The sentences are to run concurrently.
K Raghunath Patra, ex-accountant of MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur was facing trail with Pradhan. But the charges against him was abated by the court as he passed away during the trial.