PARADIP: The State Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has started probe into the alleged misappropriation of Rs 1.85 crore by CESU (Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha) officials in the office of Electrical Division of Paradip and interrogated the employees to unearth the racket. Two CESU officials have been suspended.
There are eight electrical sections under Paradip division where nearly Rs 2.5 crore is collected from consumers’ electricity bills every month. After collection, the amount is deposited with the cashier of the division and later in Government account. But the revenue, which is being collected from consumers’ electricity bills, was not being deposited in Government account.
A lion’s share of the revenue was being misappropriated by the unscrupulous cashier with the knowledge of CESU officials.
Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, Paradip, Smrutiranjan Swain detected the irregularity. He lodged an FIR at Paradip Lock police station seeking action against cashier Dhaneswer Sahu and Deputy Manager Ramananda Prusty, who allegedly misappropriated Rs 1.85 core in 2017-2018 financial year, sources said.
Meanwhile, Sahu and Prusty have been suspended for their involvement in the alleged misappropriation.