Latest news with #BishnupadaSethi
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
SC refuses to grant relief to IAS officer in graft case
Cuttack: The Supreme Court refused to grant relief to senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi in a corruption case, dismissing his plea challenging an order by Orissa high court that had denied him anticipatory bail. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih in its order on Aug 4 said it was 'not inclined to interfere' with the high court's July 28 ruling. However, the court allowed Sethi the liberty to surrender and apply for regular bail, saying it would be considered 'on its own merits'. The case stems from the arrest of a group general manager of a public sector unit on Dec 8, 2024, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a Bhubaneswar-based real estate firm. During interrogation of the manager, Sethi's name reportedly emerged, following which CBI raided the senior bureaucrat's residence on Feb 18 this year. Sethi had earlier approached the high court for anticipatory bail after his petition seeking to quash the CBI probe was dismissed on June 20. The high court termed his plea 'premature' as the investigation was still at an early stage.
Hindustan Times
28-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Power of corruption like a shadow': Orissa HC rejects IAS officer's pre-arrest bail plea
The Orissa High Court on Monday rejected an anticipatory bail petition by senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Bishnupada Sethi, who is being investigated in connection with a bribery case by the Central Bureau of Investigation, observing that the power of corruption is like a shadow that follows those who wield power. The 1995 batch IAS officer, Bishnupada Sethi, was designated as OSD in December last year after relieving him of his responsibilities Sethi was stripped of his responsibility as principal secretary of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department Bishnupada Sethi and appointed as an officer on special duty (OSD) in December 2024 after CBI arrested Chanchal Mukherjee, group general manager of Kolkata-based Bridge and Roof Company, a central public sector enterprise, on charges of taking a ₹10 lakh bribe from a real estate company promising them work orders. Rejecting Sethi's plea for pre-arrest shield, justice V Narasingha said the bench agreed with CBI that the IAS officer's interrogation when it was 'ensconced' by an order of anticipatory bail would be a fruitless exercise in the light of the materials unearthed. 'Sethi enjoys the power of being a senior official of the Indian Administrative Service. On a conspectus of materials on record, whether corruption is his shadow merits probe unhindered and unimpeded by the exceptional remedy of pre-arrest bail,' the court said. The case dates back to December 2024 when the CBI seized ₹10 lakh in cash from a luxury vehicle in Bhubaneswar. The agency arrested Mukherjee who was in the car at the time and was accused of accepting the bribe from the director of a Bhubaneswar-based private firm. Subsequently, two other individuals — Debadutta Mohapatra and Santosh Moharana — were arrested for their suspected roles in facilitating the bribe. The probe soon expanded, and Bishnupada Sethi's name also surfaced, prompting the CBI to conduct a raid at his official residence in Bhubaneswar in February 2025.
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC rejects IAS officer's anticipatory bail plea
Cuttack: Orissa high court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail petition of senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi. Sethi had sought anticipatory bail after his petition seeking quashing of a CBI investigation into alleged corruption was dismissed on June 20 on the ground that the plea was "premature and not maintainable", as the investigation was still at a nascent stage. The case stems from the arrest of a PSU's group general manager on Dec 8 last year for allegedly accepting a Rs 10 lakh bribe from a Bhubaneswar-based real estate firm. During interrogation, Sethi's name emerged, prompting a CBI search at his residence on Feb 18. While rejecting Sethi's petition, Justice V Narasingh said: "Considering that the petitioner is a senior officer in the rank of Indian Administrative Service, this court finds force in the submission of the counsel for the CBI that his interrogation being 'ensconced' by an order of anticipatory bail would be a fruitless exercise in the light of the materials unearthed." "It is often said that the power of corruption is like a shadow, it follows those who wield power. The petitioner undoubtedly has the power of being a senior official of the Indian Administrative Service. On a conspectus of materials on record, whether corruption is his shadow merits probe unhindered and unimpeded by the exceptional remedy of pre-arrest bail," Justice Narasingh observed.
News18
28-07-2025
- News18
Orissa HC rejects suspended IAS officers anticipatory bail plea
Last Updated: Cuttack, Jul 28 (PTI) The Orissa High Court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of suspended IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi, who has been booked by the CBI in a corruption case. The HC had on July 3 directed the CBI not to take any coercive action against Sethi till the next hearing. 'Considering that the Petitioner is a Senior Officer in the rank of Indian Administrative Service, this Court finds force in the submission of the learned counsel for the CBI that his interrogation being 'ensconced' by an order of anticipatory bail would be a fruitless exercise in the light of the materials unearthed," a bench of Justice V Narasingh said. 'It is often said that power of corruption is like a shadow, it follows those who wield power. The Petitioner undoubtedly has the power being a senior official of the Indian Administrative Service. On a conspectus of materials on record, whether corruption is his shadow merits probe unhindered and unimpeded by the exceptional remedy of pre-arrest bail," it said, rejecting the plea. The interim order in the case, passed on July 3, stands vacated, the HC said. The CBI had in December seized Rs 10 lakh from one Debadatta Mohapatra, who had received the amount from the director of the Bridge and Roof Company, Chanchal Mukherjee, according to the CBI. It is alleged that Mohapatra collected the amount on behalf of Sethi. The company had won a bid to develop schools for SCs and STs in the state, at a cost of Rs 37 crore. Sethi was the secretary of the SC and ST Department at that time. PTI COR AAM AAM SOM view comments First Published: July 28, 2025, 23:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Bureaucrat Bishnupada Sethi gets protection from arrest till July 8
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi in connection with the ongoing CBI investigation into an alleged corruption case. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on July 8. The case originates from the December 8 arrest of a group general manager of a public sector undertaking (PSU), who was allegedly caught accepting rS 10 lakh bribe from a Bhubaneswar-based real estate firm. During interrogation, Sethi's name reportedly surfaced, leading the CBI to conduct a search at his residence on February 18. Sethi had earlier filed a writ petition on February 25 seeking to quash the CBI investigation. The high court had granted him interim protection at that time, which was extended periodically until the petition was dismissed on June 20. On the same day, Sethi filed an anticipatory bail plea. After a preliminary hearing on Thursday, Justice V Narasingh granted Sethi interim protection from arrest until the next hearing and sought a status report on the investigation from the CBI. In its June 20 ruling, the court had dismissed the writ petition, calling it 'premature and not maintainable' since the probe was still at an early stage. The court cautioned against misuse of its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution to obstruct legitimate investigations. Emphasising the principle that 'higher the office, greater the responsibility,' the court remarked that public servants, especially senior bureaucrats like Sethi, are expected to uphold the law and not evade scrutiny. It also criticised what it described as 'forum-shopping' by the petitioners, warning that allowing such practices would send a dangerous message.
