Odisha: IAS Officer Dhiman Chakma Suspended amid Vigilance Probe

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has suspended IAS officer Dhiman Chakma, Sub-Collector of Dharmagarh, Kalahandi district with immediate effect following a vigilance case registered against him.

An official order has been issued by the General Administration Department in this regard on Tuesday.

“Governor of Odisha in exercise of powers conferred under sub-rule 3 of rule 3 of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969 hereby places the said Shri Dhiman Chakma, IAS (RR-2021) under suspension with immediate effect”, the order reads.

During the suspension, Chakma will be stationed at the GA&PG Department in Bhubaneswar and is barred from leaving the headquarters without prior permission.

He is entitled to draw subsistence allowance as per Rule 4(1)(a) of the 1969 Rules, provided he certifies that he is not engaged in any other employment, business, profession, or vocation. The allowance will be disbursed by the DDO, O/o Sub-Collector, Dharmagarh, the order further said.

Notably, Chakma was arrested by the Odisha Vigilance after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman on Sunday night. He was sent to judicial custody by a local court in Kalahandi on Monday.

The bribe was reportedly the first instalment of a Rs 20 lakh demand.

The arrest took place at Chakma’s official residence in Dharamgarh, Kalahandi district. On Monday, he was produced before the Vigilance Court in Kalahandi and remanded to judicial custody. A case has been registered against him under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.

The IAS officer was sent to jail after his bail plea was rejected.