Orissa High Court Directs CBI Probe Into Fodder Scam

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case pertaining to alleged irregularities in sale and purchase of fodder in a dairy cooperative in Cuttack.

The court has directed the agency to accept the complaint by Santosh Kumar Samal, a former employee of Cuttack District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd, who was dismissed on charges of embezzling funds.

Based on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, Santosh was dismissed. However, citing involvement of many higher ranked officials in the alleged scam, Santosh had written a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but reportedly no action was taken.

Later, Santosh filed a petition before the high court which has now directed the CBI to accept the letter as complaint and launch an investigation.

"The high court has directed the CBI to register an FIR and launch investigation into the case," said Biplab Kumar Mahali, advocate of the petitioner.