Former Panchayat Officer Arrested For Misappropriating Rs 89 Lakh Govt Funds In Odisha’s Balangir

Balangir: A retired Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO) was arrested for his alleged involvement in embezzling government funds amounting to Rs 89 lakh in Odisha’s Balangir district on Wednesday.

The accused was identified as Rajkishore Podha of Kulerbahali village under Puintala police limits in the district.

The arrest came after Agalpur Block Development Officer (BDO) Kuldip Mohanty lodged a formal complaint with the police, accusing Podha of embezzling government funds.

According to the complaint, Podha was responsible for overseeing government-funded development work in Agalpur and Bharsula panchayats, said sources.

During a routine inspection by BDO Mohanty in March, Podha failed to present the necessary records for these projects. As a result, he was removed from his post, but he refused to hand over responsibilities to his successor.

In April, Podha was summoned for further investigation but did not appear at the block office. This led BDO Mohanty to file a police complaint, sources added.