During the trial, Basanta Kumar Pradhan, former Deputy Director, Social Forestry, Bhubaneswar, was convicted by the Special Judge, Special Court, Bhubaneswar, on January 27, 2012, for possessing disproportionate assets.
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The Special Vigilance Court in Bhubaneswar on Monday ordered the confiscation of disproportionate assets, including two multi-storeyed buildings, belonging to a convicted officer of the Social Forestry Department.
During the trial, Basanta Kumar Pradhan, former Deputy Director, Social Forestry, Bhubaneswar, was convicted by the Special Judge, Special Court, Bhubaneswar, on January 27, 2012, for possessing disproportionate assets.
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Ashapurna Mohapatra, Authorized Officer of the Special Court, ordered the confiscation of both movable and immovable properties of Swarnalata Pradhan, co-accused in the DA case and spouse of the late Basanta Kumar Pradhan.
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The confiscated assets include a multi-storeyed building at Tulasipur, Cuttack; a building at Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar; a farmhouse spread over 5.02 acres at Athagarh, Cuttack, and bank and postal deposits.
According to a statement issued by the Vigilance Directorate, Basanta Kumar Pradhan and his wife Swarnalata Pradhan were charge-sheeted by Odisha Vigilance under Sections 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(e) of the PC Act, 1988, and Section 109 IPC, for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The Odisha Special Courts Act provides for the speedy trial of disproportionate assets (DA) cases against public servants holding high political or public office, as well as for the confiscation of ill-gotten assets.
In all such cases involving senior officials, trials are conducted in Special Vigilance Courts in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Simultaneously, Odisha Vigilance initiates confiscation proceedings in Special Courts established for this purpose, the statement added.
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