Five forest officials held by Odisha Vigilance for embezzling Rs 80 lakh govt funds

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance Tuesday arrested five forest officers for embezzling government funds to the tune of Rs 80 lakh allocated for compensatory afforestation in Kalahandi district, an official said.

“Based on credible inputs regarding large-scale misappropriation of government funds under compensatory afforestation scheme in Jaypatana range of Kalahandi, south forest division, a Vigilance enquiry was taken up for verification of plantation under the above scheme, by four teams comprising 25 officers,” the Odisha Vigilance said in a statement.

A thorough enumeration of plantation sites under Jaypatana range was carried out and a huge shortfall in plantation and misappropriation was found, it said.

During the enquiry, the Vigilance officials also found that the plantation funds sanctioned during the financial year 2023-24 were diverted to a number of fictitious labour accounts and withdrawn shortly thereafter, and misappropriated, a Vigilance official said.

Following the enquiry, prima facie evidence was well established against the forest officers including deputy ranger in-charge, two foresters, two forest guards, all of Jaypatana range, he said.

In this connection, a case has been registered at Koraput Vigilance police station under various Sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act and the BNS.

The Anti-corruption Wing of the Odisha government has arrested all five forest officers allegedly involved in this case. Further investigation is under progress, he added.

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