BHUBANESWAR : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch arrested an authorised dealer of a Bengaluru-based agro-tech firm for allegedly misappropriating government’s subsidy to the tune of Rs 6 crore meant for farmers. Srinath Rana, the accused, was accused of fraudulently using the firm’s login ID to misappropriate the subsidy money.
Bhubaneswar Police had earlier registered a case against Rana in this connection basing on a complaint filed by Bengaluru-based M/s Varushapriya Agrotech Pvt Ltd’s director KG Sree Charan. The EOW later took over the investigation of the matter and registered a case on September 1.
The firm has its branch office at Baramunda here and it deals with the supply of paddy transplanter machines to farmers across the country. The firm also provides services and supplies to the government. Rana was authorised dealer and regional manager of Varushapriya Agrotech between 2017 and 2021. He was authorised to sell machinery in Odisha and facilitate subsidies to farmers by accessing the government’s Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production website www.agrisnetodisha.ori.nic.in.
During investigation, the EOW officers ascertained that Rana, who is also the proprietor of M/s Tarini Auto Agency, in criminal conspiracy with others and without the knowledge of Varushapriya Agrotech had fraudulently uploaded the details of more than 500 paddy transplanters with fake engine and chassis numbers of machineries in the last four years.
Rana had also uploaded names and photos of 500 farmers of 18 districts to show the issuance/ supply of transplanters. However, no machine/paddy transplanter was actually purchased and the entire subsidy amount was siphoned off by the accused. “The cost of each paddy transplanter ranges from Rs 2.33 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, and against each machine the government was releasing subsidy amount between Rs 93,320 and Rs 1.5 lakh,” said Crime Branch ADG Sanjeeb Panda.
After credit of subsidies in the accounts of farmers, Rana used to lure them and withdraw the money. Further investigation is on, he added. In June, the EOW had also arrested a resident of Bargarh district for allegedly misappropriating government subsidies amounting to Rs 3.49 crore. The two recent cases have exposed that there is no physical verification by the government regarding the agricultural equipment supplied to farmers in the State under the subsidy schemes.
Similar fraud
In June, the EOW had also arrested a resident of Bargarh district for allegedly misappropriating government subsidies amounting to `3.49 crore in lieu of supplying agricultural equipment to 278 farmers in western Odisha.