Former ORHDC Chief Vinod Kumar Convicted Again in Vigilance Case; Tally Rises to 12
The Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, held Kumar and his co-accused guilty of criminal conspiracy, forgery and misappropriation of public funds amounting to ₹52.95 lakh
Bhubaneswar: A Vigilance court in Bhubaneswar on Friday convicted former Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC) managing director Vinod Kumar, an IAS officer, along with six others, in a corruption case involving the diversion of government funds meant for rural housing schemes. This is the 12th conviction secured against Kumar in corruption cases linked to ORHDC.
The Special Judge (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, held Kumar and his co-accused guilty of criminal conspiracy, forgery and misappropriation of public funds amounting to ₹52.95 lakh. All the convicts were sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and fined.
The other accused include Swosti Ranjan Mohapatra, former company secretary; Pradeep Kumar Rout, former accounts officer; Satya Prakash Behera, former Junior Loan Officer; Janendra Swain, former system analyst; Umesh Chandra Swain, former recovery assistant all officials of ORHDC and Sangram Keshari Sahoo, proprietor of M/s Ecstasy Builders & Developers Pvt. Ltd., Bhubaneswar.
The accused were charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged documents as genuine) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the prosecution, the officials abused their official positions and entered into a criminal conspiracy with the private developer by preparing fake and forged documents. Funds earmarked for housing assistance to rural poor beneficiaries were allegedly diverted to benefit the private firm, causing wrongful loss to the government exchequer.
The court observed that the prosecution had successfully established the conspiracy and the fraudulent diversion of public funds, leading to the conviction of all accused.
With the latest verdict, Vinod Kumar’s total convictions in ORHDC-related corruption cases have risen to 12, all involving allegations of collusion with private entities and systematic diversion of public money meant for welfare schemes.