IAS Sethi Summoned in Rs 10 Lakh Bribery Case

Bhubaneswar: Senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to appear at their Bhubaneswar office by noon today in connection with an ongoing investigation into an alleged bribery case involving Rs 10 lakh. Sethi, who has not yet complied with the summons, is under scrutiny for his involvement in the case related to the Bridge and Roof (B&R) Company.

The Odisha state government has relieved Sethi of his duties and reassigned him as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the General Administration and Public Grievance Redressal Department. The OSD position holds the same status and responsibility as Principal Secretary in the IAS cadre.

Before this reassignment, Sethi, a 1995-batch IAS officer, held several key positions, including Principal Secretary to multiple departments, such as Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department.

The CBI’s investigation into the bribery case also involves Chanchal Mukherjee, chief of the Bridge and Roof Company, along with contractors Santosh Maharana and Debadatta Mahapatra, who were arrested by the CBI in Bhubaneswar. The agency has also summoned all drivers associated with Sethi’s vehicles as part of the inquiry.