BARIPADA: As many as five persons including the manager and field officer of Bank of India’s Jharpokharia branch were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate for embezzling Government funds to the tune of Rs1.31 crore meant for distribution of pump sets under Jalanidhi Yojana.
Branch manager Girija Sankar Mishra, field officer Satarupa Mohanty of Bank of India along with suppliers Bangali Charan Jena and his son Susanta Kumar Jena and agent Satyananda Patra were found guilty of misappropriating the funds under sections 167, 467,468,461 and 420 of IPC.
A case against them was lodged by Mishra’s successor Sitakanta Mohanty. During probe, it was found that the five had misappropriated the funds meant to be distributed among 131 farmers in the district. The bank’s officials, in connivance with the suppliers and the agent had prepared fake bills which showed `1.31 lakh was given to each farmer for purchase of pump sets. Basing on the testimonies of 50 witnesses and adequate evidence, the five were found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in prison along with fine of `27 lakh each.