EOW Nabs One More Dealer In Multi Crore Agro-Equipment Subsidy Scam In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested one more dealer in connection with the Rs 12 crore agro-equipment subsidy scam in Odisha.

The arrested has been identified as Chautura Deep, proprietor of KBK Deep Agro Sales, Dunguripalli. He was nabbed from Dunguripalli in Sonepur, on Monday.

The case was registered on the basis of a written report submitted by EOW Deputy SP, Bhubaneswar, AK Mishra  after an investigation revealed how MD of Annapurna Agro International Pvt Ltd misappropriated government subsidy meant for farmers/beneficiaries on purchase of agro equipment amounting to Rs 12 crore by manufacturing and using forged documents/ email ID, UTR, in connivance with dealers.

KBK Deep Agro Sales is a a registered dealer of Annapurna Agro International Pvt Ltd, Balasore. The firm is registered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme, both as manufacturer and dealer of agro implements like post harvest machines, power driven equipment and rotavator.

The company had appointed 115 dealers throughout Odisha, and uploaded a series of false/fake invoices/data/information/UTR pertaining to supply/sale of 1766 agro equipment to equal number of farmers/beneficiaries and managed to avail subsidy amount to the tune of crores under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme. The amount was then misappropriated by the manufacturing farm and its dealers, the EOW release said.

Chautura Deep had fraudulently shown to have sold/supplied 487 agro equipment involving the subsidy amount Rs.3.54 crore, which was later misappropriated by the MD of the manufacturing firm and the arrested dealer.

The investigation further revealed that the accused collected cheques in advance, from the beneficiaries before the subsidy amounts were credited in the bank accounts. They used to take away major subsidy amounts from the beneficiaries by this devious means, paying just a meagre amount to such farmers and beneficiaries.

Finding the irregularities, the Department of Agriculture has blocked the manufacturing company in its DBT portal.

In December last year, MD of nnapurna Agro International Pvt Ltd Pradeep Kumar Acharya and two dealers namely – Prabha Ranjan Dash and Shaik Fayaz – have been arrested in connection with the case, the release added.