BHUBANESWAR, Dec 14: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned senior Odisha cadre IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi and questioned his drivers as part of its investigation into an alleged bribery case, official sources said on Saturday.
The two drivers of the IAS officer appeared before the CBI at its Bhubaneswar office here and recorded their statements. The drivers were present inside the CBI officer for about three hours from 10.30 am on Saturday.
“I was asked about activities of sir (Sethi), whom he met and which places he visited on December 7. I told them whatever was known to me. Personally, I have no involvement in any of the matters being probed by the CBI,” Nrushingha Satpathy, one of the drivers, told reporters after coming out of the CBI office here.
Asked whether he has received any amount of money in his bank account, Satpathy replied in negative.
“I have not received any money from any firm or person,” he claimed, adding that he worked as a driver in the ST&SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department, of which Sethi is the principal secretary.
Sethi also has additional charge as principal secretary of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department.
The drivers of the two departments driving Sethi’s vehicle were summoned by the CBI, sources said.
In a letter to the IAS officer, CBI inspector Gurjinder Singh on December 10 said, “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.”
Sethi was summoned to join the investigation at CBI’s Bhubaneswar office on December 11, sources said, adding that the bureaucrat sought more time through his lawyers.
The senior IAS officer was not immediately available for comment.
As the officer did not turn up on the date, the agency asked the state government to provide a list and details of all drivers who worked under the IAS officer in the last six years.
The investigating agency’s move is linked to the ongoing inquiry into a bribery case involving Chanchal Mukherjee, group general manager, Bridge and Roof Construction Company Ltd, Bhubaneswar and others.
The CBI had arrested Mukherjee and two contractors, Santosh Maharana and Debadatta Mahapatra, from near a hotel in Bhubaneswar on December 6 in connection with the alleged bribery case.
Mukherjee was arrested for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from one of the contractors, while the other contractor was facilitating the exchange. The CBI said the money was taken for awarding work orders and clearing bills.
Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said that the state government was aware of the CBI’s summons to the IAS officer.
“The state government adopts the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption. If any link is established, strong action will be taken against the officer,” the law minister said.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said, “No one is above the law, whether it is an IAS officer or panchayat peon. The law is equal for all.”
Senior BJD leader and party’s deputy leader in assembly, Prasanna Acharya, said that the CBI should impartially perform its duty.
“If someone is involved in corruption, he should be taken to task. We want the CBI to be impartial,” he said.
Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena said, “It is too early to say anything. The CBI might have some evidence to issue a summons to the officer. Let us wait and watch.” (Agencies)
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