Vigilance cases pending , dropped and chargesheeted by Directorate of Vigilance

Vigilance cases pending , dropped  and chargesheeted  by Directorate of Vigilance, Cuttack, Odisha 

Dear friends

In May, 2014, I had filed RTI Application to the PIO, office of Directorate of Vigilance, Govt. of Odisha  seeking  the following information from 2009 to 2014.

a.      Number of Vigilance cases  filed  by  Directorate vigilance  in Odisha

b.       Number of cases in which charge-sheet has been filed and number of  cases whether investigation is going on.

c.       Number of cases of corruption and irregularities  received from the public  following which  the Vigilance case has been filed.

d.      Number of cases  which has been filed   by Vigialnce on its own.

e.       Details of procedure  followed  by the Vigilance starting from receiving the complaints  of corruption  to filling charge sheet  and time oeriod fixed at each level.

f.         Details of procedure  to inform  the private persons  who gave complaint of corruption  to the vigilance  about  development of investigation.

The PIO denied the information  on 28.6.14. followed by first appeal and Second appeal dated on 2.8.14.  After 3 years, the Commission heard the case  and directed the FAA to dispose the case in terms of providing the information.  The information provided by the PIO  on 1.9.17 after direction of First Appellate Authority  is as follows

1.                   During the period , 2009-14,   as many as 13 cases were registered  against All India  Services Officers, 134  cases against OAS officers and 220 cases against other Class-I officers. On  completion of investigation, samnction for prosecution  was sought  for from Govt.  in 217 cases, out of which , sanction was refused  by the State Govt.  against 24 cases.

2.                   During the said period, 282 cases were charge-sheeted and 171 cases were pending for investigation.

3.                   145 cases were registered  on the information of public relating to corruption  and irregularities.

4.                   359 cases were registered  by Vigilance  on its own information.

5.                   In case of report received  on the allegation of demand of illegal gratification by any public servant, a vigilance  case is registered  for investigation and a copy of FIR  is given  to the complainant  under acknowledgement for his information.

6.                    In case of complaint  received on corruption or possession of disproportionate assets by public servants, a secret verification  is made  by one vigilance officer. After special verification, either  the matter is referred  to concerend Department of Govt.  for taking appropriate  action  or closed, if the allegation is not substantiated.  If there is any material evidence  to go further into the allegation, a regular Open Enquiry is ordered to be conducted  against the suspect officials  obtaining  prior approval from the Competent authority. The Enquiring officer suggests  either for such action  or RDA or registration of a Criminal case  depending  upon the material evidence. Thereafter, Final Form is submitted to the competent court after obtaining sanction orders against the accused persions from the competent authority, if prima-facie evidence is made out.

7.                   There is no statutory time limit for completion of verification/enquiry/investigation.

8.                   There is no procedure to inform  a private person , who lodged  complaint about the development of investigation, except informing  him about  the result of  investigation on the date of submission of final  form to the court, if the case would have been registered on his report.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 9.9.17

Mass Dharana demanding recovery of 18 acres forest land from KIIT, Bhubaneswar

Mass Dharana demanding recovery of 18 acres forest land from KIIT

On 6.9.17, RTI Activists under banner of Civil Society Forum sat on Dharana in front of Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha demanding execution of order of National Green Tribunal, Kalkatta for recovery of Forest land illegally acquired by Achyut Samant, founder of KIIT/KISS through fraud lent means. A memorandum was submitted to Governor, Odisha by a five-member delegation led by Pratap Sahu,, Social Activist demanding  direction to State Govt. to immediately recover the land from Sri Achyut Samant, Land grabber of Odisha. 

​​It deserves to be mentioned here that on 22.3.17 , hearing Complaint case filed by Subas Mohapatra vs Govt of Odisha, Original Application No. 92/2016/EZ & M.A. NO. 157/2017/EZ filed before  National Green Tribunal, Tribunal  issued order to Nabin Patnaik Govt. to recover  18 acres of forest land from KIIT  and undertake fencing around it. Though 6 months have passed, the State neither acquired the land nor submitted any affidavit in NG T.

​​ It shows how Achyut Samant is having  nexus with corrupt BJD leaders and bureaucrats to grab land  through fraud lent means. As per CAG report, Achyut Samant has acquired more than 100 acres of land through fraud lent means by violating all legal procedures. This is true character of Achyut Samant. RTI Activists since last few years have been demanding for CBI inquiry into huge land  scam perpetuated by BJD Ministers, MLAs and IAS officers in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack  during Naveen Pattnaik regime. Naveen Pattnaik is personally involved in land and Mining scam in Odisha.

We appeal all to support us in our fight for bringing back  hundreds acres of land to Govt. Fold  worth 10,000 crores.

Srikant Pakal

RTI activist

​​

Defamation suit of Rs.5 crore filed against Achyut Samant, founder of Kalinga TV

Defamation suit of Rs.5 crore  filed against Achyut Samant, founder of Kalinga TV  in the Court of Civil Judge ( Senior Division) , Bhubaneswar

Dear friends

On 7.9.17, Smt. Sanjukta Panigarhi, Woman Activist  filed  a defamation suit of Rs. 5 crore  against  Himanshu Sekhar Khatua, Managing Director, Kalinga TV, Sri Achyut Samant, Founder, Kalinga TV, Soumyajit Patnaik, Editor, Kalinga TV  in the court of Civil Judge ( Senior Judge) , Bhubaneswar  to pass an interim injuction  restarining them from publishing/ telecasting /circulating any defamatory newsnagainst her  and from doing  any illegal activity  against her. She has also filed  a defamation suit of Rs. 5 crore  for loss of her dignity and social prestige in the society  due to defamatory language used against her.

Hearing and considering  the petition of Smt. Panigrahi under U/o. 39 Rule-3 of CPC,  the hon’ble court granted injuction  and restrained  all three accused from publishing, telecasting and circulating  any matter which are defamatory  and libellous in nature  causing defamation  to the petitioner directly or indirectly  till 17.9.2017  and filling  of show cause  by them  by 17.9.17.

It needs to be mentioned here that on dated 01.09.2017 at about 7P.M, Kalinga TV Channel telecast a news item making several false, baseless, imaginary and defamatory allegations against  RTI Activists  Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi, Pradip Pradhan, Sudhir Mohanty and Ashok Nanda with an intention to blackmail her and tarnish her public image. The derogatory , false and defamatory  news item  aired  by Kalinga  TV  Channel  was designed to malign  the  image of  all leading RTI Activists including Sanjukta Panigrahi.  This news   caused a lot  of mental agony  and damaged her prestige  and dignity in public domain.    

Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi is leading woman activist of the state and involved in a number of campaigns in Odisha.  Since 1994, she has been actively involved in social field and carrying out various activities for empowerment of women. She  has also been passionately  taking various issues relating to violation of  child rights, women rights in Odisha, proper rehabilitation of  slum-dwellers forcibly evicted  by the State administration  and working for effective implementation of Right to  Information Act, Right to Education Act  and  ensuring admission of poor  children   and weaker section of society in Private English medium school based in Bhubaneswar  fulfilling 25% category of reservation under RTE Act.   She has worked in various social organisations like CYSD, Open Learning System and many organisations.   As RTI Activist, she has also used RTI extensively to enforce transparency and contain corruption. Smt. Panigrahi is a  also involved in  the movement  demanding CBI inquiry into land scam.

Thanks & Regards

Srikanta ku pakal

​

CoreBody Member , OSAA

Human Rights Defender ​

 

Mob -9338455092

Odisha Information Commission getting helpless

Odisha Information Commission getting helpless as Corrupt officers  are seen denying information about land scam and showing careless attitude to the order of Commission

Slogan of Transparency by Nabin Patnaik , CM of Odisha   is false and fraud

 Dear friends

 In August, 2014,  Mass media  carried  out new about  huge acres of tribal  land  illegally occupied by leaders of BJD and BJP like  late Kalpataru Das and his MLA Son Pranab Balabantaray  and Sri K.V.Singhdeo, BJP MLA in name of her daughter and many powerful people  connected  with BJD party  in Ghangapatana  area of Bhubaneswar  under jurisdiction of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar through fraudelent means.       After this expose , all the opposition political parties and Civil Society Groups  coming to the streets  organised  protest   dharana demanding CBI inquiry  into scam.  It is popularly known as Ghangapatna land Scam in Odisha. It is another type of KIIT Land Scam in Bhubaneswar.   In the midst of protest, Chief Minister ordered  for  Crime Branch enquiry  and  after few days  the Govt. declared  that  70 acres of  land  of Ghangapatna returned  back to Govt. fold. It was highlighted  by all Print and Electronics Media during  that time.

  To verify the authenticity of information, RTI Application dt. 17.9.14 was submitted to the PIO,  Office of Revenue and Disaster Management, Govt. of Odisha, Bhubaneswar   seeking information about details of  Ghangapatana land  returned back by Govt.  Though 30 days passed, the PIO did not supply   the information. Then, on 31.1.2.14,  I made first appeal to the First Appellate Authority  to hear the case and provide the information. Though 30 days passed, the FAA neither heard the case nor provided the information.  Then, Second Appeal dated 1.2.15 was filed in Odisha Information Commission seeking information and penalty against PIO under section 20 (1) of the RTI Act.

After two and half years, on 14.7.17., Mrs. Sashi Prava Bindhani, State Information Commissioner started hearing the  Second Appeal petition  Case No.  284/15.  The PIO, office of Collector, Khurda submitted that though he had noticed thrice to the Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar to provide the information,  he did not respond.  After hearing it, the Commission  issued  direction to the PIO, office of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar to produce all the information about Ghangapatna land to the Appellant within 7 days and fixed 16.8.17 for second hearing of the case.

On 16.8.17, during hearing, the PIO, office of Tahasildar  neither filed  any affidavit nor appeared  the case nor provided any  information.  The order of the Commission was simply thrown to the dustbin.    However, the Commission  has issued  notice  again to PIO, office of Tahasildar to  appear , file  the affidavit  in the next day of hearing dated 8.9.17.

On. 8.9.17, during  hearing,    the PIO, office of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar   neither appeared nor filed affidavit   to comply direction of the Commission.  The Commission , though a statutory bodyed empowered to exercise its power of Civil Society  is finding  very helpless  to take  appropriate action required under the law.  Finding very helpless,  the Commission  appointed  District Collector, Khurda  as Inquiry officer  to investigate into the matter about  continuous absence and  ignoring order of the Commission  and fixed another date 16.11.17 for next hearing.

Four years is  about over  without  supply of information  since fiiling of RTI Application in 2014.

It shows  how Odisha is badly governed without transparency  and accountability and dishonouring  statutory body like Odisha Information Commission.

 Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 9.9.17 

IDCO denied copy of land lease agreement with KIIT

IDCO denied   copy of land  lease agreement with KIIT on ground of 3^rd party information- What a face is this ?

Govt. land is public property and the State Govt. is trustee of the property.  The Govt. can not mismanage it without knowledge of the public. Any land leased out to anybody i.e., individual, institutions and Company by Govt.  and decision taken with regard to it   is a public document  discloseable under RTI Act.  Every citizen has right to know how  the  Govt. land is being managed, distributed, allotted, leased out by the State. Sincle implementation of RTI Act, the Information-seekers have been provided these lease agreements documents by General Administration Department, BDA, CDA and IDCO.  To comply RTI Act, IDCO has  also been supplying copy of lease agreement with SaI International School and many institutions  under RTI to Information-seekers including writer of this posting.

As  Achyut Samant, founder of KIIT is involved  in multiple  land scam and acquiring land through  fraudulent means  and illegal means  in connivance with corrupt bureacrats, I had  filed RTI Application dt.19.6.17 to the PIO, office of IDCO, Bhubaneswar  seeking the following information-

i.      Provide  copy of document with regard to details of decision taken  by IDCO to lease out  plot No. 17/A & 89/1 measuring Ac. 5.258  of land in lieu  of Plot No. N/8,N/9,N/6/1, N/6, N/7, N/4, N/5,N/2/1, N/2, N/1/C etc.  in favour of KIIT/KISS for expansion of existing institution  including copy of the file noting.

2. Provide copy of details of decision taken  to lease out plot no. 102, M/4 to M /19, , M/19/1, N/1/A, N/2/1, N/6,  measuring 14 acres of land to KIIT including copy of the file noting.

On 24.8.17, the PIO of IDCO has denied me the information on the ground of 3rd party information.   The statement of PIO is very ridiculous. The copy of lease agreement and decision taken at IDCO level to lease land is not at all 3^rd party information.  This is not the information provided by the 3^rd party i..e, KIIT.  This is the information generated by IDCO to lease out the land as per the law.

As because, huge irregularities is committed by Achyut Samant in connivance with corrupt officials of IDCO,  the disclosure of the said information  will expose it and  it will also be disastrous for them.

However, I have already filed first appeal to the First Appellate Authority of IDCO to direct the PIO to provide the information.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date-2.9.16

RTI ensured disbursement of ex-gratia amount to the victims of Kalinga Nagar police firing

RTI ensured disbursement of ex-gratia amount to the victims of Kalinga Nagar police firing

( There is mismatch of information supplied  by Home Dept. and ADM, Jajpur)

Dear friends

On 3.2.2017, I had submitted RTI Application to the PIO, Department of Home, Govt. of Odisha seeking  information about  details of Judicial Commission constituted  by Govt. of Odisha , date of submission of Report and details of action taken  following the recommendation of the Commission. On 12.4.17, the PIO supplied  the list of  Judicial Commissions and date of submission of the report and  ATR.

As per the information supplied by the PIO, it was observed that The Inquiry report on the Incident of police firing  at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district on 2.1.2006  was submitted  by Commission  ( Justice A.S.Naidu/P.K.Patra/P.K.Mohanty (retd) on 3.7.2015.  Out of 3 recommendations of the Commission, 2 have already been complied. Regarding payment of Additional ex-gratia, GA Deptt. Has already released  Rs.16,50,000.00 in favour of Collector, Jajpur  for disbursement to 27 injured  persons. It means prior to  Feb. 2017 or much before,   the State Govt. had released Rs. 16,50,000.00 towards payment of ex-gratia  to the victims of Kalinga Nagar police firing.

Finding   the abovemnetioned  information, RTI Application dated on 17.4.2017 was  submitted to the PIO, Dept. of General Administration  seeking information about details of  money disbursed to the victims of Kalinga nagar Police firing. On 22.4.17, the PIO, Dept. of GA   forwarded my application to the PIO, office of Collector, Jajpur which was again forwarded on 27.4.17 to the PIO, Office of ADM, Kalinganagar to provide the information. After receipt of RTI Application,  the administration started thinking how to disbuse the ex-gratia amount to the victims which is pending  and provide the information within stipulated time period.

As per the information supplied  by the PIO,  Disbursement of ex-gratia amount  was made  to the victims on 20.5.2017 . Total amount of Rs. 6,50,000.00  was disbursed to 9 victims on the said  fateful day. It means  out of Rs.16,50,000 released by Govt. for payment, district administration has released just Rs. 6,50,000.00. Rest Rs.10,00,000.00 is still pending with  the District Administration for disbursement.  The details of money against additional ex-gratia  disbursed to the victims on 20.5.17 is as follows.

Sl.No	Name of victim	Date of Additional ex-gratia payment	Amount
1	Babuli Deogam, s/o- Khajuri Deogam of Chandia	20.5.17	Rs.1,00,000.00
2	Ganesh Banara, S/o- Sidhu of Baligotha	DO	Rs.1,00,000.00
3	Chinu Hembram s/o- Nandu of Gadapur	DO	Rs. 1,00,000.00
4	Chakradhar Jarika,s/o- Lakhya of Bamiagotha	DO	Rs. 1,00,000.00
5	Raj kishor Hesa,s/o-Sukura Hesa of Baligotha	DO	Rs.50,000.00
6	Santi Badara, s/o- Budhesingh Badara of Chandia	DO	Rs.50,000.00
7	Kalia Hembram,S/O- Braja Hembram  of Chandia	DO	Rs. 50,000.00
8	Sikur Budiuli,s/o- Juria of Chandia	DO	Rs. 50,000.00
9	Shyama Champia, s/o- Ramdas Champia of Champakoila	DO	Rs.50,000.00
	Total		Rs.6,50.000.00
	Total  amount  disbursed  by GA  for ex-gratia payment		Rs.16,50,000.00

Payment of Ex-gratia   to the injured persons during police firing  at kalinga Nagar on 2.1.16

Sl. No	Name of the injured persons	Disbursement of Ex-gratia amount paid earlier	Date of payment
1	Tulasi Gagarai, w/o- Samala Gagarai of Gadapur	Rs.50,000/-	26.4.08
2	Tuna Jarika ,S/O- Bhima of  Chandia	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
3	Baisingha Gho,S/o- Panchuram Gho of Chandia	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
4	Babuli Deogam S/o- Khajuri Deogam  of Chandia	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
5	Ganesh Banara  of Baligotha	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
6	Mukunda Jarika  of Chandia	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
7	Surendra Banara of Baligotha	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
8	Chinu  Hembram of Gadapur	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
9	Chakradhar Barada of Bamiagotha	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
10	Basanti Badara, w/o- Sada of Gadapur	Rs. 50,000.00	28.10.2006
11	Chakradhar Jarika of Bamiagotha	Rs. 50,000.00	26.4.08
12	Jamuna Hembram of Chandia	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
13	Goura Soy  of Bamiagotha	Rs. 50,000.00	12.3.2007
14	Jayachandra Soy of Baligotha	Rs. 50,000.00	26.4.08
15	Raju Haiburu of Baligotha	Rs. 50,000.00	DO
16	Balema Soy  of Baligotha	Rs. 50,000.00	DO

Compensation paid to family members  who died during police firing at Kalinga Nagar on 2.1.2006.

Sl.No	Name of deceased	Name of Family members	Date of payment	Amount
1	Doigi Tiria	Sunia Tiria	26.4.08	Rs.10,00,000.00
2	Nandu Jarika	Chakai Jarika	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
3	Gobinda Laguri	Sitaram Laguri	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
4	Rama Jamuda	Pandab Jamuda	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
5	Janga Jarika	Banita Jarika	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
6	Bhagaban Soy	Sini Soy	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
7	Sudam Barla	Magi Barla	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
8	Jagat Badara	Sumi Badara	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
9	Rama Gagarai	Sukamari Gagarai	1.7.2006	Rs.5,00,000.00
			26.9.2006	Rs.5,00,000.00
10	Rangalal Munduya	Baijayanti Munduya	26.4.2008	Rs.10,00,000.00
11	Arti Jamuda	Chumuru Jamuda	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
12	Mukta Bankira	Gouranga Bankira	DO	Rs. 10,00,000.00
13	Shyam Gagarai	Laxmidhar Gagarai	DO	Rs.10,00,000.00
14	Kisan Buduili	Sikur Buduili	25.2.2009	Rs.5,00,000.00

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 26.8.17