Over Rs 1 crore govt funds siphoned off from Odisha veterinary schemes: RTI report

A concerning development regarding a large-scale fraud has surfaced in Bolangir district’s Loisingha block, where government funds meant for veterinary schemes were allegedly siphoned off using forged Aadhaar cards, fake affidavits and fabricated signatures.

The irregularities came to light after documents accessed through the Right to Information (RTI) Act pointed to systematic misuse of financial assistance and subsidies under multiple schemes of the Veterinary Department.

According to the RTI report, money was withdrawn in the name of deceased individuals, including through a lease agreement for a poultry farm issued in the name of a person who had died earlier.

Sources cited officials reviewing the papers who said the agreement was processed using a fake Aadhaar number and forged signatures on an affidavit.

Names Emerge in Alleged Fraud Network

The RTI response indicates that two individuals, Satyam Sahu and Sulata Sahu, allegedly submitted forged documents to fraudulently obtain benefits from several Veterinary Department schemes.

The papers further point to the involvement of Loisingha Block Veterinary Officer Anand Seth, who is alleged to have played a key role in clearing and facilitating the fraudulent paperwork.

Sources within the district administration said the accused individuals allegedly collaborated to divert funds meant for beneficiaries under poultry development and related schemes. The forged documents reportedly include duplicate Aadhaar details, fabricated affidavits and signatures that did not match original records held by the department.

Officials said no response has been received so far from Block Veterinary Officer Anand Seth or from the accused individuals Satyam Sahu and Sulata Sahu regarding the allegations.

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RTI Papers Suggest Large-Scale Misappropriation

Preliminary estimates based on the RTI documents suggest that over the past two years, similar fake documents may have been used across Bolangir district to misappropriate more than Rs 1 crore from various livestock and poultry-related schemes.

Sources added that the scale of the alleged fraud across multiple blocks may require district-level scrutiny once the initial verification is complete.

As of the last reports, the Veterinary Department has begun cross-verifying the RTI-revealed entries with official beneficiary rolls. However, a formal police complaint has not yet been filed.