Woman GRS arrested for misappropriation of MGNREGA fund

Jajpur: Police have arrested a woman Gram Rojgar Sevak (GRS) for her alleged involvement in financial irregularities and misappropriation of fund under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) at Patharpada area of Korei block in the district.

The arrested GRS has been identified as Sasmita Behera.

Sources said locals have accused Behera of misappropriating money under the MGNREGA. She had allegedly transferred big amount of money to the bank account of her relatives.

As per a complaint filed at the Panikoili police station, she has misappropriated and duped an amount of around Rs 13,000. "We repeatedly asked for the money but she has been ignoring us for the last three month. So we lodged a police complaint against her," said a complainant.

Sources said on basis of the complaint, police have launched an investigation and found Behera guilty. Later she was arrested and forwarded to court.

"Behera had transferred the money to the bank accounts of her husband and son. The investigation revealed mass irregularities and misappropriation of money by the Patharpada GRS,” said IIC of Panikoili PS, Ajay Kumar Jena.

Meanwhile, police informed that further probe is underway into the incident to find out about the irregularities.