CUTTACK: Vigilance on Thursday arrested a former forester of Athagarh division for allegedly misappropriating government funds of over Rs 7.41 lakh under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme.
The accused was identified as Ashis Naik, presently posted at the office of DFO, Cuttack. In a statement, Odisha Vigilance said Naik allegedly embezzled government funds amounting to `7,41,297 by preparing and submitting fake/inflated bills.
The fraudulent bills were generated under the CAMPA scheme for the 2025-26 Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) plantation project inside Oringa Reserve Forest covering Kuleilo beat and Sadar beat, Athagarh Sadar section.
As per the anti-corruption agency, investigation revealed Naik failed to plant 11,376 saplings while falsely claiming execution and drawing funds, thereby causing loss of Rs 7,41,297 to the state exchequer.
A case was registered in Cuttack Vigilance police station under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 and BNS in this connection, and the accused forwarded to the Special Court (Vigilance) Cuttack.