Odisha: Ex-PEO and private person convicted in corruption case

Kalahandi: Two individuals, namely Raj Kishore Sahu, the former Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) of Karlamunda Gram Panchayat in Kalahandi District, and Kishan Kumar, a private individual, were convicted in a significant corruption case. The case was pursued by the Odisha Vigilance and pertains to alleged misconduct involving recommendations for benefits.

The charges against them included offenses under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, as well as multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as 468, 471, 406, 420, and 120-B. The charges revolved around Sahu’s alleged recommendation of Kumar as a beneficiary for housing assistance without any actual construction work.

In the judgment delivered by the Hon’ble Court, Raj Kishore Sahu was sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for different periods, ranging from 2 years to 6 months, along with fines for each respective offense. These sentences were directed to run concurrently. Sahu was further subjected to a fine of Rs.10,000 for his conviction under section 13(1)(c)(d) of the PC Act, 1988.

Meanwhile, Kishan Kumar, the private individual involved, received his own set of sentences, including rigorous imprisonment ranging from 2 years to 6 months, accompanied by fines for each offense. These sentences were also ordered to run concurrently. Notably, Kumar was directed to pay a fine of Rs.75,000 for his conviction under section 420 IPC.