Odisha AEE Arrested for Forging Deputy Speaker's Signature in Transfer Scam
Bhubaneswar: An assistant executive engineer (AEE) of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Laxman Hembram, was arrested in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday for allegedly manipulating his posting by submitting a forged recommendation letter bearing a fake signature of Assembly Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi. Police said they are also searching for another AEE, Monalisa Behera, who is accused of adopting the same modus operandi.
A complaint against the duo was lodged at the Capital police station by the deputy speaker’s office on June 11, following which an FIR was registered on June 13. Ramesh Chandra Bisoi, ACP (Zone-I), said an investigation is underway to ascertain whether they acted alone or are part of a larger racket.
According to police sources, the office of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister received two letters on January 16, both bearing the assembly logo and resembling the official letterhead of the deputy speaker. The letters recommended the transfers of Hembram and Behera from Harichandanpur and Bansapal blocks in Keonjhar district to Sadar and Bargaon blocks in Sundargarh district.
Acting on these letters, the department issued a transfer order on June 8, listing 52 AEEs, including Hembram and Behera, who were allotted postings in Sundargarh. Bhoi, however, strongly denied issuing any such recommendation. “I recently learnt from a source about the fraud and immediately asked my office to lodge the FIR. I haven’t recommended any transfer. My name, office letter pad and signature were forged,” Bhoi told reporters on Wednesday.
Police said the case involves serious charges of forgery, impersonation and cheating, and further investigation will determine if more officials or intermediaries were involved in the conspiracy. According to official sources, the Panchayati Raj Department has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against Hembram and Behera, who face an imminent suspension.
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