Investigation Agency Implicates High-Ranking Government Administrator in Alleged Bribery Scandal Worth INR 10 Lakhs (Odisha)
In a shocking turn of events, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi of being involved in a Rs 10 lakh bribery case linked to a government project executed by Bridge and Roof Co. Ltd.
Sethi, who was then Secretary of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SCST) Department in Odisha, is alleged to have instructed a middleman, Debadatta Mahapatra, to hand over the bribe money. The CBI seized Rs 10 lakh in cash, suspected to be the bribe amount, during a trap operation in Bhubaneswar.
Telephonic intercepts from Chanchal Mukherjee, Group General Manager of Bridge and Roof Co., included conversations that allegedly match Sethi’s voice, confirming his role in facilitating the bribe. The CBI also revealed that expensive gifts, like an Apple MacBook and a luxury watch worth Rs 1.46 lakh, were given to Sethi’s daughter by Mahapatra, indicating an ongoing bribery scheme related to a Rs 50 crore project under Sethi’s department.
The CBI’s probe led to the arrest of Chanchal Mukherjee, Debadatta Mahapatra, and other associates. Despite attempts by Sethi to secure anticipatory bail, both the Orissa High Court and the Supreme Court rejected his pleas, allowing for his possible arrest. The CBI raids and evidence, including the recorded telephonic conversations and seized cash, have strengthened the prosecution’s case.
Sethi has alleged harassment by the CBI but the courts have emphasized the need for an unimpeded investigation into the corruption allegations. The CBI raids have been conducted at Sethi's government quarters and ancestral home in connection with the case.
Investigators are also looking into Sethi's acquaintance with Mukherjee, who has already been arrested. No new facts about the MacBook and luxury watch gifted to Sethi’s daughter are mentioned in this paragraph. The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
[1] Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Conducts Raids on Senior IAS Officer Bishnupada Sethi [2] CBI Alleges Bribery in Rs 50 Crore Government Project [3] CBI Arrests Chanchal Mukherjee, Debadatta Mahapatra, and Others in Bribery Case [4] Orissa High Court Rejects Bishnupada Sethi's Anticipatory Bail Plea
- The ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged bribery case has expanded to include politics, as senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi's acquaintances are under scrutiny.
- The latest general-news headlines are dominated by the crime-and-justice sector, with the CBI's probe into the Rs 50 crore government project bribery case continuing to unfold.
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