Cuttack: As many as seven persons including a contractor and six officers of Cuttack Roads and Buildings (R&B) division were arrested by the Vigilance on Thursday for their alleged involvement in tender fixing and misappropriation of funds during the construction of a bridge over Taladanda Canal near Nayabazar in Cuttack.
The arrested persons have been identified as former Superintending Engineer of R&B Circle (Cuttack) Bimal Chandra Dash, five employees of R&B Division-II, Cuttack-Assistant Executive Engineer Rajanikanta Dalabehera, Assistant Engineer Rabinarayan Sahu, Assistant Engineer Ranjan Kumar Debata, Divisional Accounts Officer (Retired) Abanikanta Rout, Executive Engineer (Retired) Sudhir Kumar Panda and contractor Trupti Ranjan Debata.
Following the allegations of substandard work and misappropriation of government funds amounting to Rs 43, 16,044 during the construction of Taladanda Canal Bridge, the Orissa High Court had directed an investigation in connection with the case.
Investigation revealed that the construction work was executed under R&B Division-II in Cuttack and awarded to the only bidder, Trupti Ranjan Debata, the brother of Assistant Engineer Ranjan Kumar Debata, informed the Cuttack Vigilance Directorate.
“The contract for the construction of the canal bridge was awarded to the brother (Trupti Ranjan Debata) of the assistant engineer (Ranjan Kumar Debata) and there were allegations of substandard work due to which the bridge had collapsed. Therefore, the HC had ordered a probe in connection with the matter. Following the investigation, seven persons were arrested and sent to judicial custody in Choudwar Jail. The Court has posted the next hearing in the case on January 16,” informed government counsel at Special Vigilance Court, Sarbeswar Barik.
All the arrested were forwarded to the Court of Special Judge Vigilance later on Thursday and taken on remand till January 22 for interrogation.
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