An Odisha cooperative official has been arrested for allegedly embezzling over Rs 33 lakh in government funds, highlighting concerns over financial mismanagement in cooperative societies.
Key Points
- Odisha Vigilance arrested Patitapaban Majhi for misappropriating over Rs 33 lakh.
- Majhi allegedly embezzled funds while serving as secretary of Garhsantri Service Co-operative Society.
- The embezzlement occurred during the financial year 2017-18.
- Majhi made fraudulent entries in account logs and diverted funds for personal use.
- The diverted funds were intended for agricultural and cooperative development schemes.
Odisha Vigilance on Saturday arrested a cooperative official on the charge of misappropriating government funds worth over Rs 33 lakh, an official statement said.
Details of the Arrested Official
The accused was identified as Patitapaban Majhi, a former secretary of the Garhsantri Service Co-operative Society under the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank (AUCCB) Limited, Banarpal branch.
He was working as a banking assistant at the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. headquarters in Angul.
Investigation and Findings
Based on allegations of embezzlement of government funds over Rs 33 lakh, an investigation was launched by the Odisha Vigilance.
A thorough investigation revealed the crime took place in the financial year 2017-18, the Vigilance statement said.
During his tenure as the executive secretary of the Garhsantri SCS, Majhi was entrusted with managing daily financial collections and government deposits.
He allegedly made a series of fraudulent and fabricated entries in the primary account logs (day books) of the Garhsantri Service Co-operative Society and diverted the funds, the Vigilance said.
Modus Operandi
While the books showed the transactions as balanced or accounted for, the corresponding physical cash amounting to Rs 33,80,963 was never deposited into the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank.
The diverted funds, meant for agricultural and cooperative development schemes, were instead pocketed and diverted for personal use, it said.
A case under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and other sections of BNS have been registered against the accused.
