The anti-corruption vigilance wing of the Odisha Police has logged an impressive 50 per cent conviction rate in corruption cases in 2023 while the rate of conviction in Disproportionate Asset (DA) cases stood at 66 per cent, said officials on Sunday.

Regarding prosecution, the vigilance ensured 124 convictions in 2023 at a 50 per cent conviction rate. Further, conviction in DA cases stood at 66 per cent. Of the 124 convictions, 21 were against Class-I officers, 14 against Class-II officers, 100 Class-III employees, two Class-IV employees, 14 other public servants, and 12 private persons, they added.

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A total of 163 accused were convicted during the period in 2022 with 90 per cent convictions. The Odisha Vigilance ranked second in the country as per NCRB data. With 124 convictions in 2023, it has further improved its standard last year.

The Odisha Vigilance has taken several steps to ensure prosecution. Trials in 21 vigilance courts are being closely monitored daily by the Vigilance Directorate. 21 PLOs (prosecution liaison officers), who are playing a major role in strengthening the prosecution, have been engaged this year.

Besides assisting the vigilance public prosecutors in the trials, they are tasked to ensure expeditious trial and monitoring evidence tendered by witnesses in the vigilance courts during the trial, the Vigilance Directorate said in a statement.

The vigilance has recently been sanctioned as an expert legal advisor in each of the eight divisions by the government. This measure will further enhance the quality of evidence gathered during the investigation and evidence tendered during the trial.

During the last two years, high priority has been attached to the completion of the investigation along with detection. Last year, the disposal rate was 122 per cent, the highest in a decade. In 2023, the Odisha Vigilance has further improved the disposal rate to 153 per cent with 406 cases disposed of after investigation.

In 2023, 406 cases were disposed of after investigation, of which, chargesheets have been filed in 359 cases against 849 persons including 77 Class I officers, 76 Class II officers, 329 Class III employees, 10 Class IV employees, 56 other public servants, and 301 private persons.

The percentage of chargesheets is 88 in the cases disposed of after investigation. In 2022, with the chargesheets filed in 321 cases, the vigilance stood third in the country as per NCRB data. In 2023 also, it has maintained the high standards last year.

In 2023, 35 public servants, including a Class-I officer, five Class-II officers, 28 Class-III employees, and another public servant, were dismissed from government service following their conviction in vigilance cases. In 2022, with 30 dismissals, the Odisha Vigilance ranked third in the country. With 35 dismissals, it expects to better its record in 2023 nationally, the statement concluded.