Bhubaneswar, Nov 2 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance has arrested a former Senior Revenue Assistant (SRA) of the Sub-Collector’s Office at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district for allegedly misappropriating government funds amounting to Rs 8.63 lakh collected towards the Red Cross Fund.

The accused, Sadasiba Pradhan, was earlier posted at the Sub-Collector’s Office in Chhatrapur, and is currently serving at the Tahsil Office in Surada in Ganjam district.

He was entrusted with managing the Nizarat Section of the Sub-Collector’s Office, which included maintaining government funds and the Red Cross Fund.

According to an official statement issued by Odisha Vigilance on Sunday, the anti-corruption agency initiated an inquiry following allegations of financial irregularities relating to the non-deposition of government funds collected in the Nizarat Section between December 2023 and August 2025.

During the investigation, the Vigilance department found that Pradhan had issued official receipt books and collected Rs 8,63,200 towards the Red Cross Fund during the period.

However, instead of depositing the money into the designated bank account at the State Bank of India (SBI)’s Chhatrapur branch, he allegedly misappropriated the entire amount for his personal gain.

Following his arrest, Pradhan was forwarded to the court of the Special Vigilance Judge in Brahmapur.

In this connection, a case has been registered against the accused at the Brahmapur Vigilance Police Station on October 31 under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

The Vigilance in its statement told that further investigation into the case is underway.

According to official information, Odisha Vigilance has registered 516 criminal cases related to various corruption charges and arrested 537 government officials and others in this connection between June 12, 2024, and October 26, 2026.

During this period, Odisha Vigilance registered 144 misappropriation cases against 371 persons, including 34 Class-I and 39 Class-II officers, for allegedly embezzling public money amounting to Rs 76.96 crore.

–IANS

grm/khz