Hans News Service Bhubaneswar

AnOdisha government engineer was arrestedon Wednesday for allegedly forging a letter in the name of Odisha Assembly Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi to secure an official transfer, police said. The accused, identified as Laxman Hembram (31), is an assistant executive engineer posted at Harichandanpur block in Keonjhar district.

A case was registered at the Capital police station in Bhubaneswar on June 13 based on a complaint filed by the Deputy Speaker’s private secretary. The FIR was lodged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act against two assistant executive engineers, including a woman.

Bhubaneswar Zone-I ACP Ramesh Chandra Bisoi said Hembram and the woman engineer allegedly prepared a forged recommendation letter purportedly issued by the Deputy Speaker and used it to obtain transfers to Sundargarh district.

The forgery came to light after authorities verified the document and found that the signature and letterhead had been fabricated, police said. Following the investigation, Hembram was arrested on Wednesday and brought to the Capital police station for questioning.

“Further investigation is underway to ascertain the role of the woman engineer and any other persons involved in the case,” Bisoi told reporters.