Cuttack City MLA Moquim Granted Bail In ORHDC Corruption Case

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Friday granted bail to the Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim and accepted the petition of  against the verdict of a Vigilance court in a case related to Odisha Rural Housing Development Corporation (ORHDC) case.

Moquim has been asked to furnish bail bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties. The next hearing of the case is on October 13.

The court of Special Judge (Vigilance) had sentenced former IAS officer Vinod Kumar, Cuttack Barabati MLA Md Moquim and realtor Peeyush Mohanty to three years jail in connection with a case related to loans to ineligible beneficiaries.

ORHDC was headed by senior IAS officer Kumar in 2001. Mohanty and Moquim headed Metro Builders which was one of the beneficiaries in the loan scam during 2001. Ineligible beneficiaries were given loans by ORHDC during this period in which Metro Builders received a loan of Rs 150 lakh.

The Odisha government had earlier dismissed senior IAS officer Kumar, a key accused in the rural housing scam who was convicted in two corruption cases and has 27 graft cases against him.

Kumar, Ex-MD, ORHDC, Swasti Ranjan Mohapatra, Ex-Company Secretary, ORHDC, Md Moquim, Managing Director, M/s Metro Builders, Peeyusdhari Mohanty, Director, Metro Builders, and Metro Builders Pvt. Ltd. were charge sheeted by Odisha Vigilance in a case registered on March 30, 2005, under Sections 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and under Sections 120-B/468/471/420 of the IPC.

The charges were framed for showing undue favour, criminal misconduct, forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy and obtaining pecuniary advantage to M/s. Metro Builders Pvt. Ltd. by releasing funds in guise of loans meant for rural poor, the Vigilance stated.

Kumar and Mohapatra were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 3 years and to pay fine of Rs 50,000, and in default of payment of fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for a period of 6 months on each count.

Moquim and Mohanty were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 3 years and pay fine of Rs.50,000, and in default of payment of fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for a period of 6 months on each count. All the sentences are to run concurrently.

Moquim had challenged the ruling of the Vigilance Court.