BJD leader, govt employee held for 'embezzling' Rs 1.19 crore meant for OMBADC projects

The Baripada Vigilance Unit on Friday arrested BJD leader and former Suliapada Block president Dibyalochan Das on the charges of embezzling funds to the tune of Rs 1.19 crore meant for the development of the block and the panchayats.

The anti-corruption bureau also arrested a contractual employee Manoj Deo for allegedly assisting Das in the embezzlement of the funds.

Without government approval, they allegedly transferred Rs 1.19 crore to various accounts during Covid-19. This comes to light days after the arrest of Parikhit Jena, the former BDO of Suliapada block and current Balasore Deputy Collector.

Apart from the BDO, an accountant and a businessman have also been arrested by the Vigilance in this case. At least eight of them have been accused of misappropriating Rs 1.19 crore from the Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds of Suliapada block.

The OMBADC fund was meant for financing projects on livelihood intervention, health, water supply, sanitation, and education departments of the state government. The OMBADC was formed as per the directive of the Supreme Court to undertake tribal welfare and development works to ensure inclusive growth of mineral-bearing areas.

As per the rules, the engineers check the work done under OMBADC fund and prepare bill which is then approved by the BDO before RTGs letters are issued to the bank for the transfer of the amount.

However, the BDO along with the BJD leader and others allegedly embezzled the funds by simply diverting it to their accomplices without any execution of work. Vigilance has registered a case against eight persons in this connection.

Five of them have been arrested so far while the remaining three are reportedly on the run.