EOW Arrests Sixth Fraudster In Agro-Equipment Subsidy Scam In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday arrested Prahallad Meshua from Bheden in Odisha’s Bargarh district for allegedly misappropriating government subsidies, to the tune of Rs 5 crore, meant for the supply of agricultural equipment to the farmers.

Earlier, five persons, including the main accused Srinath Rana, were arrested by EOW in connection with the case filed by Varushapriya Agrotech Pvt Ltd director KG Sree Charan.

During investigation, the EOW found that the Bengaluru-based company, having its branch office here at Baramunda, was dealing with the business of supplying paddy transplanters to the farmers across the country and also delivering services and supplies to the Odisha government under various subsidised schemes.

Rana, the former regional manager of this company, misappropriated subsidy amount of Rs 5 crore by fraudulently using the company’s login ID and password. During 2017-21, he along with Meshua, proprietor of Subhalaxmi Traders, Bargarh, and other accused fraudulently uploaded the details of more than 556 paddy transplanters and equal number of beneficiaries covering 18 districts of Odisha. The accused did it without the knowledge of the complainant firm and managed to have Rs 7.16 crore subsidy released in favour of the beneficiaries by submitting fake documents without the knowledge of the firm.

Soon after the subsidy was credited in accounts of beneficiary farmers, the accused persons grabbed the amount by luring the beneficiaries by giving them some token amount. While the cost of a transplanter ranged from Rs 2.33 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, the government released subsidy amounting to Rs 93,320 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

Of 556 paddy transplanters, 54 were shown to had been supplied by Meshua, who was an authorised dealer of the firm, against which an subsidy of R.58 lakhs was released by the government, the EOW added.

In June, Bidyadhara Behera, former Regional Manager of Varushapriya Agrotech Pvt Ltd, was nabbed from Bhadrak in connection with the fraud.