Panchayati raj dept bags top award

Bhubaneswar: Orissa’s panchayati raj department has received the first prize for its excellent achievement in implementing the model accounting system (MAS) for panchayats and PRIASoft. Panchayati raj minister Prafulla Samal and panchayati raj secretary S.N. Tripathy received the prize from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Sunday. The prize includes a cash award of Rs 50lakh and a citation. Maharashtra and Tripura were placed second while Punjab and Assam came third. n a related development, CBI personnel on Saturday met officials of the panchayati raj department and sought a few documents related to corruption in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). However, a formal notification on the CBI inquiry into the MNREGS is yet to be issued.

Two nabbed

Bhubaneswar: Puri police arrested two more persons on Sunday in connection with the Emar mutt silver brick loot case.he accused, identified as Amulya Swain and Sudhakar Swain, were arrested from Dhenkanal. The duo, assigned for repair work at the mutt by the archeological department, had stolen two silver bricks. “Following interrogation of the accused, we tracked the place where the silver was sold and have managed to recover Rs 2.25 lakh,” said a police personnel. The two have been forwarded to the court.

CD arrests

Cuttack: City police have arrested two persons on Sunday for copying pornographic compact discs (CD).The accused have been identified as Chitaranhan Mishra (30) and Subasish Dey (30). Police also seized around 5,000 pornographic CDs, one computer and software worth Rs 1.5 lakh from Keonjhar colony under Lalbag police limits here in the city. The duo used to operate from a rented house at Keonjhar colony near Kanika Chakk. They have been arrested under section 292/120 B/34 of the Indian Penal Code and 7 Cinematography Act 63/68 (A) Copy Right Act, Section 3 of Young Persons Harmful Publication Act.

Robbers held

Bhubaneswar: Paradip police arrested four highway robbers on Sunday. Police said they acted on a complaint filed by a driver. The goons had intercepted a few vehicles on the highway and demanded money from the drivers. When they refused, they had attacked the vehicles and damaged at least four of them.

Doctor assault

Bhubaneswar: Relatives of a sub-inspector allegedly assaulted a doctor at Phubani district hospital here claiming medical negligence. The policeman, who met with an accident, had been rushed to the district hospital