Odisha engineer convicted 38 years after being caught in disproportionate asset case

Gangadhar Sahoo, an engineer, was caught by the Vigilance Department for possession of disproportionate assets worth ₹4,06,220 to his known sources of income in 1984

An engineer was convicted 38 years after being caught on charges of amassing properties disproportionate to his known source of income in Odisha.

Special Judge, Special Court (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, Biswajit Das, convicted Gangadhar Sahoo, former-executive Engineer, Command Area Development Agency-I, Bhubaneswar, who was caught by Vigilance Department for the possession of disproportionate assets worth ₹4,06,220 to his known sources of income in 1984.

The judge sentenced Sahoo, now 75, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years and to pay fine of ₹20,000 and in default of payment of fine, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a further three months for the offence under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

“The inordinate delay in trial of case is attributed to lack of special court available during that time. The case was transferred multiple times from one court to another. Moreover, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 was not stringent compared to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988,” said Ajit Pattnaik, Public Prosecutor, Special Court.

“The present special court which convicted the engineer was set up to hold hearing of disproportionate asset cases pertaining to Class I officers and politicians,” said Mr. Pattnaik.

At that time, the engineer had purchased three plots in Bhubaneswar and one at Puri. Besides, vigilance sleuths had recovered 1252 gram of gold from his possession. Despite detection of huge disproportionate case, Sahoo’s career in government service advanced like a regular employee. He is getting regular pension. As per the present action, officers are handed out suspension soon after being caught with huge disproportionate asset case.