Odisha Court attaches property of Koraput Collectorate over 20-year pending dues of contractor

The Senior Division Sub-Judge Court in Jeypore initiated attachment proceedings against the Koraput Collectorate after authorities reportedly failed to clear long-overdue payments owed to a contractor by the Rural Development Department. The dues relate to a two-decade-old road construction project.

According to The New Indian Express report, a team from the Court arrived at the collector’s office on Wednesday evening to enforce the order. With District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan unavailable at the time, the deputy collector sought additional time. However, when no official response was provided within the deadline, the court officials removed a computer system, including the CPU, as attached property.

The dispute began in 2005, when contractor Pradeep Mohanty completed a road project valued at Rs 73.64 lakh. Mohanty alleged that despite finishing the work, payment was never released. He approached the court in 2011, seeking settlement of his dues.

In 2018, the court directed the state government to release the principal amount with 6% annual interest, but the order remained unimplemented. Mohanty then filed an execution petition in 2019, and over the years, the outstanding amount has accumulated to around Rs 1.15 crore, sources indicated.

After multiple reminders failed to secure the payment, the Court issued an attachment order in October 2025. When officials went to the Rural Development Division office on Wednesday to execute it, they found the premises locked.

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Collector Mahajan reportedly returned later in the night and held a meeting with government legal officers to decide the next course of action. Government pleader Bishnu Patra confirmed that the matter will be taken up by the Court again on Friday (November 28), and a report on Wednesday’s attachment will be submitted.