Vinod Kumar gets 3-year imprisonment

The Special Vigilance Court here on Friday awarded a three-year jail term to former Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC) Managing Director Vinod Kumar, an IAS officer, in connection with a financial scam of Rs 53 lakh in the corporation during his tenure in 2000.

Kumar was arrested after he surrendered before the court earlier in the day. After the court rejected his bail plea, he was sent to the Jharpada jail.

Kumar, the then Executive Director (Technical) Purna Chandra Das, Assistant Manager Sanjay Mohanty, Accounts Officer Pradip Rout, Accountant Chitta Mallick and secretary of NGO Gramya Bikash Manch Asish Das were convicted by the court.

All the accused were held guilty under Sections 13 (2), 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Sections 420 and 120 of the Indian Penal Code.

The accused were found guilty for criminal conspiracy and granting pecuniary benefits to NGO Gramya Bikash Manch by releasing funds illegally without following the guidelines to set up a Rural Building Centre (RBC) at Balipatna, thereby causing loss to the State and financial institutions.

Earlier on August 8, the court had awarded a three-year jail term to  Pradip Rout and Chitta Mallick in connection with the fraud. Both Rout and Mallick were arrested after they surrendered before the court.

Earlier in July, the Orissa High Court had directed five persons including Kumar to surrender before the Vigilance court. The Vigilance court later issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) against the five as they were absent in the court. However, the then Assistant Manager Sanjay Mohanty was awarded a jail term of three years as he deposed before the court for the hearing.

As many as 23 cases of financial irregularities and disproportionate assets are pending against Vinod Kumar, who is currently holding the position of Officer on Special Duty in the Higher Education Department.