Odisha doctor dismissed following conviction in graft case

Bhubaneswar, July 22 In a strong move underscoring the Odisha government's zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday ordered the dismissal of a doctor who was recently convicted in a graft case.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the convict, Dr Karunakar Rout, is currently working as the senior medical officer at the District Headquarters Hospital in Bhadrak district. Earlier, Rout worked as a Medical Officer at Madhuban Community Health Centre in Jajpur district.

The CMO in an official statement further revealed that a case was registered against Rout by the state vigilance. Departmental proceedings were initiated against him as well. He had faced suspension and other punishment following his arrest over graft charges.

Following the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the state vigilance department has been taking stringent action against senior officials of the government involved in various corrupt practices.

It is pertinent here to mention that Rout was convicted by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack on January 16, 2024, for receiving a bribe from a contractual Health Worker for not taking action against him for his absence from duty during MDA supervision by the state medical team a few years ago.

The court sentenced Rout to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Following the conviction, the vigilance department has recommended to the state government for the dismissal of Rout from his services.

Continuing its drive against corruption, the Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday arrested Nityananda Nayak, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kendu Leaf Division, Keonjhar district, for amassing assets beyond his known sources of income. The vigilance officials during simultaneous house searches found Nayak was found possessing disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of 218 per cent of his known sources of income, which he could not account for satisfactorily.

As many as 123 landed plots are found registered in the name of Nayak and his family members in Angul district. The sleuths also unearthed a huge farmhouse possessed by Nayak at Chhendipada in Angul.

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