Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi delivered a strong message to government employees during the recent ‘Nijukti Mela’ (appointment fair), urging them to steer clear of corrupt practices. Highlighting the recent arrests of two young officers on serious corruption charges, Majhi emphasized that the state government will maintain a strict “zero tolerance” stance toward corruption at all levels.
High-Profile Arrests as a Wake-Up Call
Majhi pointed to the cases of Aswini Kumar Panda, the 2019-batch Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) topper, and IAS officer Dhiman Chakma (2021 batch), who were arrested for bribery and corruption. “Young officers entrusted with responsibility must set an example, but these arrests reveal the opposite,” said the Chief Minister.
Panda was apprehended on September 12 by Odisha Vigilance authorities for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹15,000 through his office driver in a land mutation case involving the conversion of agricultural land to homestead land. Raids conducted at his home and office recovered ₹4.73 lakh in cash and gold ornaments.
Similarly, Chakma was arrested on June 9 after being caught accepting a ₹10 lakh bribe from a businessman in Kalahandi’s Dharmagarh area. Following the arrest, a raid at Chakma’s official residence uncovered ₹47 lakh in cash.
Read also: Odisha OAS Topper 2019 Aswini Kumar Panda Arrested in Rs 15,000 Bribery Case
Chief Minister’s Warning to Public Servants
“I may sound harsh, but this must serve as a warning to all government employees,” Majhi said. He reminded officials that despite availing all government benefits, both officers chose to engage in corrupt activities, violating public trust.
The Chief Minister reiterated that Odisha’s government will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption and warned that “everyone should be careful as punishment is inevitable for wrongdoing.”
Renewed Vigilance and Administrative Reforms
The stern warning comes amid heightened efforts by the Odisha government to strengthen preventive vigilance and enforce strict disciplinary actions against corrupt officials. Earlier, the Odisha Chief Secretary had instructed all departments to exclude tainted officers from holding key positions.
Majhi’s message at the Nijukti Mela also serves as a reminder to the newly recruited officials about the high standards of integrity expected from public servants in the state.
