Rate of conviction in corruption touches 41 percent

"During the last five years up to September 30, 2011 (2006 to 30.09.2011) 340 cases ended in conviction in which 25 Class-I officers, 55 Class-II officials, 285 Class-III and eight Class-IV government employees, 28 other public servant and 25 private persons were convicted in vigilance courts," said Director of Vigilance Anup Kumar Patnaik.

Stating that the rate of conviction increased after enactment of the Odisha Special Courts Act, 2006, Patnaik said 61 cases ended up in conviction this year alone. Eight Class-I, nine Class-II government employees, five other public servants and 4 private persons were convicted in the vigilance courts.

This apart, Patnaik pointed out that 11 government servants have been dismissed from service after they were convicted in the courts. "Vigilance has arrested and forwarded 142 persons out of which 12 are Class-I, 11 Class-II and 95 Class-III, 4 Class-IV, 9 other public servants and 11 are private persons this year," he said.

Claiming that the state vigilance had been very effective in detecting tax evasion cases, the chief of the anti-corruption wing said that they have detected suppression of Rs 5209.62 crore in tax evasion cases. "Total amount to be generated out of the submitted reports will be Rs 514.18 crore," Patnaik said.

Though the vigilance department had not yet made any satisfactory findings in the much-hyped dal scam, Patnaik claimed that they have registered 16 criminal cases and arrested 13 officials of mining and forest departments for their alleged involvement in the multi-crore mining scam.

Ten officials of the total 13 employees have been suspended, he said.