IAS Vinod Kumar, former ORHDC MD, convicted for 12th time in Vigilance corruption case

Former Managing Director of the Orissa Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC), Vinod Kumar, IAS, along with six others, was convicted on Friday by a Vigilance court in Bhubaneswar in a corruption case involving misappropriation of government funds meant for the rural poor.

This marks the 12th conviction of Vinod Kumar, IAS, in corruption cases linked to ORHDC.

The Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar, convicted Vinod Kumar, former MD of ORHDC, along with 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.

They were charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 468, 471, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code for misappropriation of government funds amounting to Rs 52.95 lakh.

The court also sentenced each convict to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 3 years each and fine.
According to the prosecution, the accused officials abused their official positions and entered into a criminal conspiracy with the private builder by creating fake and forged documents. Funds earmarked for housing schemes for rural poor beneficiaries were allegedly diverted to favour the private developer.

The court held all the accused guilty and sentenced each of them to rigorous imprisonment for three years, along with a fine.

With this conviction, Vinod Kumar’s total convictions in corruption cases related to ORHDC have risen to 12, all stemming from cases involving conspiracy with private individuals and diversion of public funds.
A detailed order of the court is awaited.