High Court relief to Vinod Kumar till August 10

The Orissa High Court on Friday extended the relief it had earlier granted to convicted IAS officer Vinod Kumar and four others and asked them to positively surrender before the Vigilance (Special) Court on August 10. The Vigilance Court had last month found the five, including the IAS officer, guilty and convicted them in a corruption case pertaining to the Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC).

However, before the lower court could decide the quantum of punishment to the convicted officers, Vinod Kumar had approached the High Court and obtained relief in which the High Court had restrained the Vigilance police from arresting him by the strength of the NBW that was issued by the Vigilance Court.

The High Court, however, had asked the convicted quintet to appear before the Vigilance Court on August 4, the date on which the special court was scheduled to decide the quantum of punishment. But on the day, allowing another plea of Vinod Kumar in which he had sought a week’s time to surrender, Justice JP Dash directed the Vigilance police not give any effect to the NBW till August 10.