Phulbani: Odisha Vigilance has arrested an Assistant Engineer and a Junior Engineer of Kotagarh block in Kandhamal district for allegedly embezzling more than Rs 42 lakh through fake bills generated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The arrested officials have been identified as Assistant Engineer Prashant Kumar Patra and Junior Engineer Prafulla Kumar Behera.
According to reports, two officials allegedly siphoned off over Rs 42 lakh by preparing fake bills for various developmental works executed under the MGNREGS scheme in Dharakote gram panchayat under Kotagarh block. Following the allegations, district administration initiated an inquiry, which reportedly confirmed the financial irregularities.
Earlier, the district collector had suspended Panchayat Executive Officer Sutanya Mahakud and Block Assistant Development Officer Kanshiram Digal in connection with the case. Subsequently, the Zilla Parishad referred the matter to the Vigilance Department for a detailed investigation.
Phulbani Vigilance DSP Hemanta Kumar Mohanty said the two engineers were arrested following the completion of the investigation.
The probe revealed that fake bills were allegedly prepared and public funds misappropriated in connection with various developmental works carried out in the gram panchayat during the 2022-23 and 2024-25 financial years, leading to the embezzlement of more than Rs 42 lakh.