Odisha govt gives compulsory retirement to corrupt officer

BHUBANESWAR: As part chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s zero tolerance towards corruption, the state government on Thursday ordered compulsory retirement of Pratap Kumar Samal, the suspended deputy manager of the Odisha police housing and welfare corporation, following his arrest by the vigilance on November 10 for allegedly amassing nearly Rs 15 crore disproportionate assets.
“Samal has been given compulsory retirement for his corruption and inefficiency. At least 131 corrupt and inefficient government employees have been sacked from service so far,” a government statement said.
The development coincided with the vigilance directorate on Thursday interrogating Samal’s sister Namita Das for allegedly abetting his corrupt practices. Namita was summoned to turn up at the vigilance office here for questioning.
“We came to know that Pratap Kumar Samal had made an unregistered partnership deed between his wife Sasmita and sister Namita for production of two Odia movies. At least Rs 50 lakh was invested in the two movies—Baazi (2001) and Nari Akhire Nian (2003). Namita was questioned in this connection,” a vigilance officer said.
Samal was sent back to the judicial custody following completion of his two-day interrogation in the vigilance custody on Thursday. “We elicited vital evidence.
He confessed having collected huge kickbacks from several contractors, who were engaged in the construction of buildings of police stations, courts and jails,” the officer said.
The vigilance unearthed eye-popping volumes of movable and immovable assets owned by Samal and his family members.
During the raid at his home in posh Nayapalli area here on November 9, Samal attempted to dispose of his ill-gotten money and threw around Rs 20 lakh cash to his neighbour’s terrace.
Samal (53), completed his diploma in civil engineering from Barapada school of engineering in Bhadrak in 1987.
He joined the OPHWC on August 14, 1988 as a junior engineer at Bhubaneswar.
He continued to work as an estimator till 1994-95 before being transferred to Kendrapara and Deogarh districts.
On promotion to the rank of deputy manager in 2013, he worked at Rourkela, Balangir, Keonjhar and Cuttack. He joined the head office in Bhubaneswar in 2019.
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