SAMBALPUR: Vigilance officials on Tuesday arrested a junior assistant in charge of two community health centres (CHCs) in Sambalpur district for allegedly misappropriating government funds to the tune of Rs 1.15 crore by creating and processing fake bills in the names of retired employees.
The accused, Mir Imtiyaz Ali, is posted as the junior assistant at Fasimal CHC under Jamankira block. He is also the in-charge junior assistant at Govindpur CHC under Bamra block.
According to the Vigilance, Ali allegedly generated false bills from 2021-22 to 2026-27 under various financial heads including arrear salaries, unutilised leave encashment and provisional pensions, purportedly in the names of retired employees attached to Fasimal CHC.
Instead of disbursing the money to the beneficiaries or depositing it with the government, Ali allegedly manipulated the payment process and diverted Rs 70,57,450 into his own bank accounts for personal gain.
Investigation further revealed that Ali allegedly adopted a similar modus operandi at Govindpur CHC where he misappropriated another Rs 44,57,089 during the same period. The total amount of money allegedly misappropriated from the two health centres stood at Rs 1,15,14,539, the Vigilance said.
The anti-corruption agency registered two separate cases in connection with the financial irregularities. The accused will be produced before the Vigilance Special Judge, Sambalpur.