Sambalpur Vigilance has registered criminal cases against 17 persons, including functionaries of a bank and Bharsuja Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS) for an alleged scam in purchase of power tillers.
Secretary and president of Bharsuja PACS, Prahallad Patra and Panchu Pradhan respectively and Proprietor of Maa Durga Motors, Dungripali in Sonepur, Putta Durga Rao were arrested on Monday and remanded in judicial custody till October 12.
The other officials named in the case are Assistant Supervisor of Balangir District Central Co-operative Bank (BDCCB), Duduka branch, Khirodhar Sahu and Branch Manager Thabira Senapati.
Besides, cases have also been registered against 12 more of Jemapali, Sansa and Bindhapali villages in Balangir district for criminal conspiracy and causing a loss of ` 14,22,000 to the BDCCB against purchase of 12 power tillers.
It is learnt that Patra, Pradhan, Sahu and Senapati had abused their official positions by accepting forged documents produced by Rao without supplying the power tillers to the accused villagers who were sanctioned the above amount.
The beneficiaries have been accused of abetting the accused officials and the supplier in preparing the forged documents.