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Updated: Oct 04, 2019 21:27 IST

Odisha government compulsorily retired four officials in ‘public interest’ a week after revealing its intention to let go those found inefficient or with ‘doubtful integrity from the state administration.A state government release described these officials as among the “most corrupt” in the state

Former regional transport officer of Dhenkanal, Basant Behera, deputy excise commissioner Dilip Kumar Nag, deputy conservator of forests Sarat Chandra Panda and assistant civil supply offiver Ashok Kumar Majhi became the first four Odisha officers to be forced to retire due to ‘doubtful integrity’ over allegations of holding disproportionate wealth, said officials in general administration and public grievances.

Behera was arrested and later suspended in July 2018 when posted in Dhenkanal as Regional Transport Officer (RTO) for possessing “disproportionate” assets of Rs 3.61 crore, including a Rs 40 lakh Mercedes-Benz car, a 4-BHK Bhubaneswar flat worth Rs 50 lakh and two patches of land worth Rs 1.7 crore.

Similarly, Nag, who served as deputy excise commissioner in Cuttack, was found to be in possession of “disproportionate assets” of Rs 1.5 crore including Rs 47 lakh cash during a vigilance raid in 2012. It was the second highest cash seizure from a government servant in the State.

Panda, an Odisha Forest Service officer was found to be in possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 4.5 crore during a vigilance raid in February 2017. Rs 4.5 crore was found in his and family’s bank accounts, mostly deposited during demonetisation drive of November 2016. It was the highest detection of cash in the account of a government employee and his family members in Odisha.

Majhi (57), an additional food and civil supply officer is facing two cases of corruption including amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He is currently under suspension.

All officials were retired under the Odisha Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1962. However, both Behera and Nag would get pension.

Last month, the state government had issued a circular saying state government employees seen to be lacking integrity will be prematurely retired in public interest, if needed. The circular also specified inefficiency due to physical or mental conditions as a ground for forced early retirement.

Performance and service record of Group A, B, C and D category employees above 50-years of age would be reviewed every three months and those with more than 30 years of qualifying service or 55 years of age would be considered for early retirement.

A tehsildar of Mayurbhanj district, Pradeep Behera was also dismissed after he was convicted in a corruption case of 2008. Since August this year, the government has dismissed 38 government officials following their convictions in vigilance courts.

In his fifth term as Odisha chief minister, Naveen Patnaik has stressed on efficient public service delivery while trying to crack down on the corrupt. Two days ago he launched “Mo Sarkar”, a citizen-centric random feedback system on service delivery in hospitals and police stations.

Odisha government’s initiative follows forced retirement of Central government tax officials seen to be corrupt under the Narendra Modi government. Over 60 tax officials have been compulsorily retired in four rounds of purging so far.