TV
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police will probe the alleged multi-crore financial irregularities in the Belpahar Municipality in Jharsuguda district.
According to officials, an Inspector-level officer will investigate the case under the supervision of an Additional SP. The move follows allegations of large-scale misappropriation of funds and fraudulent practices in the civic body.
Police have already arrested the municipality’s accountant, Bibhuti Sahu, who has been forwarded to court, while Sanitation Expert Soumya Bishwranjan Mahali remains absconding.
Meanwhile, an independent 15-day audit that began on August 18 is underway to ascertain the scale of the alleged scam. Once completed, it is expected to reveal the exact amount siphoned off and identify all those involved.
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Local groups, including the Belpahar Yuva Club, have demanded that records of the past 10 years be audited. They allege that over Rs 3 crore was either diverted or embezzled. Serious charges also include forgery of the municipality chairperson’s signature to facilitate fraudulent transactions.
“In place of 200 lights, only 156 were procured. Similarly, there is no supporting document for the Rs 3 crore spent on purchasing chemicals. Payments were made using the signatures of the sanitation inspector, the accountant, and the former EO. There is no value in the audit as there has been no recovery. We demand that the Odisha government take stringent action,” alleged Shyam Satpathy, advisor of the Yuva Club.
Nimai Charan Panda, chairperson of Belpahar municipality, said, “There are massive irregularities at the municipality. It should be probed, and necessary action must be initiated.”
