“Odisha Vigilance Organizes 2-Day Workshop on Strengthening Investigation and Prosecution”
A 2-day workshop was conducted by Odisha Vigilance at the State Vigilance Academy, Bhubaneswar, on 7th and 8th February 2025 in hybrid mode, focusing on strengthening the investigation and prosecution of cases. The event was attended by all SsP of Vigilance Divisions, unit heads, investigators, prosecutors, technical and financial experts, along with senior officers of Odisha Vigilance.
Inaugurating the workshop, Shri Y.K. Jethwa, IPS, Director of Vigilance, highlighted the department’s top priority: the detection, investigation, and prosecution of vigilance cases. In his welcome address, he urged officers to take decisive action against corrupt public servants by leveraging advanced technologies and innovative methods to identify corrupt practices.
Shri Jethwa expressed gratitude to the Government for initiatives like establishing a dedicated Forensic Science Laboratory at the Vigilance Directorate in Cuttack and approving the inclusion of more professionals and domain experts in vigilance. He also highlighted steps to enhance operational efficiency, such as providing laptops/desktops to investigating officers and increasing the number of vehicles for improved mobility. These measures, he stated, would bolster Odisha Vigilance’s capacity to combat corruption among public servants.
On the second day, an in-depth interaction with prosecutors from Vigilance Courts will focus on streamlining and strengthening the prosecution of ongoing cases to achieve higher conviction rates. Odisha Vigilance has maintained an impressive overall conviction rate of approximately 50%, with an 80% conviction rate in Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases.
During the workshop, officers who excelled in investigation and prosecution over the past year were felicitated for their contributions. The Director urged all officers to demonstrate heightened dedication and fully utilize the enhanced infrastructural and professional support to achieve even better outcomes in the coming year.
