People wait agency to act in Odisha?
ED fear grips Odisha!
Bhubaneswar, Aug 3(Reporters Today Bureau): Even as the Enforcement Directorate conducts raids across the country for detection of money laundering cases, the people in the State visualize similar actions in Odisha also. Their impression is not misplaced as several senior officials, especially engineers, forest officials and Block Education Officers have fallen in the net of State vigilance for graft. In such a situation people do not discount the possibilities of political leaders or senior officials also involved in corrupt practices.
In Odisha, the Vigilance Department is hyper mode. Almost every day officials ranging from Revenue Inspectors to Superintending Engineers and police IICs are falling in Vigilance net. Huge amount of property is also being unearthed. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption has thrown many officials out of job and stoppage of their pension benefits. The 5T charter has worked to some extent but not as effectively as it should.
Though swift disciplinary action has been the most encouraging thing in Odisha, corrupt officials exist in the system and eating into it. That is why people in Odisha feel the ED should act in the State.
It is well known in state that several politicians in the State were alleged to have been hand in glove with operators of chit fund in the state who indulged in multi-crore scandal. The proceeds of the crime is believed to have been shared with some politicians. The ED has so far attached Rs 3.5 crore worth properties of only one politician in State.
The CBI was called into probe the chit fund operators. But for some reasons only one case has been settled so far and few chit fund scam accused are behind the bar. As many as 16 cases are just lingering and no chargesheet has been filed in 12 other cases. The general feeling is that the evidences in the scam may be tampered with if the cases are delayed further. The CBI also has not given the exact figure of arrests made so far and how may have managed to stay free. These accused are believed to have laundered their ill gotten money—hard earned money of gullible investors in chit funds.
It will not be inappropriate to say that money laundering cases are possible in Odisha and if ED enters the scene many truths may tumble out.
