Bhubaneswar: Odisha cadre IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi has a distinguished career. But this humble looking and soft spoken IAS officer is no stranger to graft controversies. For the second time, the 1995 batch IAS is in the cross hairs of the anti-graft probe agency.
The Odisha Lok Ayukta has conducted a probe on graft charges against the IAS, which incidentally happens to be the first graft case handled by the Odisha Lok Ayukta in 2014, after its formation in the State.
However, the IAS had the last laugh in the Lok Ayukta probe, this time the national premier investigating agency has been on his hot trail.
BISHNUPADA SETHI PROFILE
He is currently serving as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Empowerment of Persons With Disabilities Social Security, Government of Odisha.
He was the Relief Commissioner of Odisha when the cyclones like cyclone Titli and Cyclone Fani had hit the State.
In his Linkedin Profile, the IAS officer states,
- Handled mega cyclone Fani effectively as the Relief Commissioner and was recognised worldwide for his role.
- Taken effective steps to improve the systems and give benefit to the people of KBK region for which he was appreciated by the National Human Rights Commission, which was then monitoring starvation deaths in KBK region.
- Instrumental in the adoption of Odisha Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2006 and Odisha Fishery Policy, 2015 under the United Nations Development Program project.
- Published monographs on eleven indigenous breeds of animals like cattle, buffalo and goat of Odisha which led to registration of seven breeds, for the first time after independence of the country.
- Published a number of articles and books which have been received well and have been translated to other languages.
- Received Bhima Bhoi Award for his contribution to popularise Mahima philosophy in Odisha state.
- Authored four volumes of English poetry books.
- Engineering psot gradaute passed in first division.
- Taken up academic programms for working professionals at Cambridge Judge Business school in 2015 and Harvard Kennedy School in 2017.
However, as per the IAS Execustive record sheet, no awards or publications to show against the IAS officer's name.
The profile, indeed, looks great.
But he has also been charged with corruption, though he received a clean chit. However, the CBI summon to the IAS deems it fit to re-visit the previous graft controversy, the officer was charged with.
CORRUPTION CONTROVERSY
Year 2014. RTI activist Srikanta Pakal filed a complaint to Lok Ayukta against IAS Bishnupada Sethi for the following reasons.
- He alleges illegal drawal of lakhs of rupees from Odisha State Co-operative Bank Ltd.(OSCB), Bhubaneswar, during his tenure as its Management-in-charge in the shape of incentives / honorarium / reimbursement of medical bill/orderlyallowances and book grant etc. from the period 06.02.2013 to 28.07.2015.
- The complaint said Sethi by misusing his power and position while working as Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, Cooperation Department issued a letter to the Managing Director, OSCB Ltd., Bhubaneswar for reimbursement of medical bills to the tune of Rs. 1,50,000.
- He has further alleged that Sethi also withdrew other medical bills on different dates amounting to Rs. 9,46,273/- without the approval of Board.
- According to complaint, despite the fact that Sethi was holding a substantive post at that time, yet he wrongfully reimbursed the medical bills from the fund of OSCB.
- The complaint also submitted that Sethi not being a regular employee of the OSCB was not entitled to receive any incentive from the profit of OSCB as the same is only meant for its employees.
- With the materials available against Sethi, the complaint stated “he being a civil servant of superior cadre deliberately committed gross misconduct which attracts a penal offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- The Lok Aykta report says, a coordinate bench of this body after considering the allegation and explanation submitted by Bishnupada Sethi confined the dispute for inquiry only in respect of payments received by him on the following two relevant heads:-
- (1) Payment of honorarium out of the net profit of the bank to the Management-in-Charge and his legal entitlement to the same in addition to his salary as received in respect of his substantive post Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Cooperation Department, Govt.of Odisha.
- (2) Whether Sethi being the Management-in-Charge of OSCB is entitled to reimburse the medical bill in respect of expenses incurred for treatment of his father and wife.
REPLY BY SETHI ON CHARGES
- In reply, Sethi admitted that he was Management in-charge of the OSCB from 06.02.2013 to 28.07.2015.
- He also admitted to have reimbursed a sum of Rs. 3,27,000 on three occasions towards medical expenses for the treatment of his father, Sri BhajahariSethi and wife, Mrs. Vaisali Sethi.
- But categorically denied availing medical expenses amounting to Rs. 9,46,071.
- Sethi stated that the medical bills were in fact reimbursed to him from the fund of bank after permission from the State Government.
- With regard to allegation of receiving bonus from the OSCB, Sethi has stated that he is entitled for the same because he as a Government servant was engaged whole time in connection with the affairs of the OSCB and section 56 (2)(f) of the Odisha State Cooperative Bank Act, 1962 permits such payment o f bonus.
HOW HE GOT AWAY?
The Lok Ayukta preliminary inquiry report submitted on 09.04.2021 had the following inefernces that gave a clean chit to IAS Sethi.
- The report stated that Sethi as a Government servant was engaged whole time in connection with the affairs of OSCB, so he was entitled to receive payment of bonus under Rule 54 (a) of the Staff Service Rules,1980.
- What was the evidence?
- As per the report, the Director of Inquiry has relied upon the comments of Minister, Cooperation (competent authority) in giving finding that Sethi was engaged whole time in connection with the affairs of the bank.
- The Director of Inquiry found the allegation of complainant that Sethi reimbursed Rs. 9,46,071 as factually incorrect. Even the Minister, Cooperation (competent authority) in his comments has confirmed that Sri Sethi worked full time for the OSCB.
- Sethi, after the complaint, as a good will gesture has returned the entire amount of Rs. 3,27,000/- to the OSCB on 25.06.2021.
- The Lok Ayukta, thus gave a clean chit.
SECOND TIME FACE TO FACE WITH CBI
First have a look at the CBI summon sent to senior IAS Bishnupada Sethi.
The most vital excerpt of the letter is given below.
“It is learnt that you are acquainted with some important and relevant facts and circumstances of the instant CBI case, which are required to be ascertained from you. It’s therefore requested that you may kindly join the investigation of the instant CBI case.”
The tone and tenor of the CBI statement suggest that CBI has asked the senior IAS to join probe as the anti-graft agency has got some leads with regard to projects awarded by Sethi during his tenure as Principal Secretary of the SC/ST Development Department to Bridge and Roof Co. (India) Limited, a Miniratna PSU.
Sources in the CBI office here confide that this is a mega scam that hints at a broader nexus between corruption in project allocations and kickbacks to top officials in the SC/ST Development Department.
Will he be second time lucky to wriggle out of the graft web? Well, the time will tell.
