Odisha vigilance arrests 181 people, unearths assets worth Rs 131 crore in 2024
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The vigilance department of Odisha government has registered a total of 200 criminal cases and arrested 181 people including government officials during the year 2024, an official statement said.
Of the 181 people arrested by the vigilance department, 37 were class-I officers, 27 class-II officers, 85 class-III, one class-IV employee, 10 other public servants and 21 private persons during the year, the statement issued on Tuesday said.
A total of 200 cases were registered in 2024, of which, 60 cases were instituted for acquisition of disproportionate assets (DA) against 66 public servants and 36 private persons and unearthed properties worth over Rs 131 crore, it said.
The vigilance department had registered 96 trap cases in 2024, in which 115 people including 99 government officers were trapped while demanding and taking bribes worth Rs 19.25 lakh.
During the year, 44 misappropriation cases relating to misappropriation of public money were registered against 91 people, including 65 public servants and 26 private people, involving misappropriation of public funds amounting to about Rs 14.87 crore, the vigilance said.
Informing about the investigation of the corruption cases, the anti-corruption wing said it has carried out searches at over 483 locations, freezed 792 bank accounts of corrupt public servants, evaluated 194 buildings/projects in 72 valuation cases worth Rs 27.03 crore and 38 spouses were also brought in the ambit of investigations as co-accused in DA cases.
During the year 2024, investigations were completed in 307 cases and recorded the highest-ever disposal rate of 154 per cent. As many as 25 government functionaries were dismissed from service following their conviction in the vigilance cases, it said.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
