BHUBANESWAR/DHENKANAL: Vigilance on Friday night arrested a suspended senior clerk of Hindol sub-treasury, who was at large for the last two years after allegedly misappropriating government funds amounting to Rs 68.85 lakh.
The accused, Manoranjan Sahoo was nabbed from under Sadar police limits in Dhenkanal town while he was attending the birthday party of a relative’s child.
Vigilance sources said after the scam came to light, Sahoo had gone into hiding and was working as a food delivery partner in the capital city. He was possibly waiting for the time when his suspension would be revoked.
Acting on a tip-off, officers of the anti-corruption agency conducted a raid and apprehended Sahoo from Dhenkanal. Investigation revealed he misappropriated government money amounting to `68.85 lakh meant for around 10 pension holders. Instead of crediting the amount in the bank accounts of the pensioners, Sahoo had allegedly transferred the money fraudulently to his own and his relatives’ bank accounts from 2019 to 2021, said a Vigilance officer.
After the officials of the Hindol sub-treasury found out about the fraud in 2023, they lodged a complaint against Sahoo. However, the Finance department later handed over the investigation to the Vigilance, the officer added.