CBI Court Grants Conditional Bail to Three Arrested in Odisha Bribery Case

A special CBI court granted conditional bail to three individuals involved in a bribery case in Odisha. Chanchal Mukherjee, Santosh Moharana, and Debadutta Mohapatra were released after posting a bond of Rs 1 lakh and two sureties each. Advocate Subham Satpathy confirmed the details. The court stipulated that the accused must remain in Bhubaneswar unless permitted otherwise and cooperate with the investigation.

The CBI arrested the trio on December 7, seizing Rs 10 lakh from a car outside a hotel. The agency alleged their involvement in corrupt practices related to work orders and bill clearances for bribes. Following their arrest, the CBI interrogated them over eight days in two phases. The investigation also led to summoning several individuals, including senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi.

CBI Investigation and Government Response

The Odisha government has responded to the CBI's findings by transferring Sethi to a new role as officer on special duty in the General Administration & Public Grievance Department. Sethi, a 1995-batch IAS officer, previously held multiple principal secretary positions. Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo stated that necessary steps have been taken and further actions will depend on the final investigation report.

Sethi was summoned by the CBI on December 10 to appear at their Bhubaneswar office on December 11. However, he did not attend, leading to further questioning of three drivers from different government departments linked to him. Despite attempts to contact Sethi for comments, he remained unresponsive.

Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Investigation

The CBI has not disclosed its next steps if Sethi continues to be uncooperative. In a letter dated December 10, the agency informed Sethi of his potential knowledge of crucial facts related to the case. Meanwhile, Odisha government sources revealed that Sethi had communicated with Mukherjee about projects worth Rs 37 crore for upgrading schools in Boudh and Nayagarh districts.

It remains unclear if these school projects are connected to the bribery case involving Mukherjee and others arrested on December 7. The CBI has yet to establish any direct link between these projects and the ongoing investigation into bribery allegations.

The situation continues to unfold as authorities await further developments from the CBI's investigation. The state government has assured that it will act based on the final findings of the inquiry into the alleged involvement of officials in corrupt activities.