Sambalpur: Fraud Allegation in the Land Acquisition Department of Sambalpur Collector’s Office; RTI Reveals Employee Working on the Basis of Fake Training Certificate

Accused Used Fake Training Certificate

Sambalpur: A serious allegation has surfaced against Abhaya Kumar Pradhan, an employee in the Land Acquisition Department of the Sambalpur Collector’s office. According to the complaint, he allegedly secured the job using a fake training certificate. A whistleblower raised this issue based on information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

No Record of the Institute

As per the RTI reply, Pradhan claimed to have completed a Revenue Inspector course in 2011 from the Odisha Commercial Survey Educational Institute in Asika, Ganjam district. However, officials confirmed that no such institution exists in Asika. Instead, the only registered training institute for revenue inspectors in Ganjam is located in Khallikot. The available records show that the mentioned institute was supposedly registered in 1975 under registration number 233, but there is no trace of its actual existence.

Incomplete Investigation Report Raised Concerns

After the allegation was filed, the district administration assigned Deputy Collector Rasna Bhoi to investigate the matter. However, the complainant alleged that the investigation was not properly conducted. Bhoi submitted a report denying any forgery without thorough inquiry. Unsatisfied, the complainant submitted a formal objection letter to the Sambalpur Collector.

Previous Complaints Ignored

Earlier, the same complainant had submitted similar complaints multiple times to the Collector’s office. But as no action was taken, the individual escalated the matter to the Revenue Council. On February 17, the Revenue Council’s headquarters in Cuttack instructed the Sambalpur Collector to conduct a fresh investigation.

Still No Action Taken

Despite clear instructions from the Revenue Council, no official action has been taken so far. The complainant has expressed strong dissatisfaction over the delay and lack of accountability.