The Naveen Patnaik government, which ruled Odisha uninterrupted for 24 years, prided itself on its zero-tolerance policy for corruption.

It sought to make it one of the cornerstones of its governance formula. The policy yielded rich dividends for Naveen and his party. His successor, Mohan Charan Majhi’s government, is trying to emulate the same policy. The chief minister has clarified that corruption at any level won’t be tolerated.

Addressing the state-level function of Vigilance Awareness Week, here on Monday, Majhi said that within 140 days of coming to power, corruption cases had been lodged against six chief engineers of the state, and they had been arrested.

“Their properties have been seized,” he said.

Stating that the government has decided to eliminate corrupt officials from the system and adheres to the principle of zero tolerance against corruption, Majhi said: “None will be spared. This is only the trailer, and the movie is yet to come.”

Majhi said: “The vigilance has seized 233 plots located in Bhubaneswar and other districts, 32 buildings/flats located in Bhubaneswar and other states. Six kg gold ornaments, bank deposits worth ₹10 crore and ₹21 lakh from these six chief engineers only.”

During this period, the Odisha government’s anti-corruption wing — Odisha Vigilance — has registered 88 criminal cases against 123 persons, including 24 Class-I officers, 12 Class-II officers, 54 Class-III employees, 7 other public servants, and 26 private persons.

It also arrested 89 persons, including 22 Class-I officers, 11 Class-II officers, 41 Class-III employees, 2 other public servants and 13 private persons.

“Twenty-six cases have been registered for the acquisition of disproportionate
assets against 29 public servants and 17 private persons, including 15 Class-I officers, 6 Class-II officers, 6 Class-III
employees, two other public servants and 17 private persons,” the vigilance in a release said.

It further said: “The total disproportionate assets in all the 26 cases stand at ₹77.28 crore. During this period, 45 trap cases have been registered against 48 public servants and 6 private persons including 7 Class-I officers.”

It said: “During this period, 77 cases have been disposed of after investigation, out of which, charge sheets have been placed in 62 cases against 156 persons, including 18 Class-I officers, 18 Class-II officers, 57 Class-III employees, 3 Class-IV employees, 9 other public servants and 51 private persons.”

Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja also spoke on the occasion. “Conviction rate in vigilance cases has been around 50 per cent. In disproportionate assets cases, the conviction rate has been 80 per cent,” said director vigilance Yeshwant Kumar Jethwa.