Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance sleuths on Tuesday arrested three panchayat-level officials from Baleshwar district for allegedly misappropriating Rs 16.76 lakh meant for old-age pension beneficiaries.
The accused officials have been identified as Subrat Kumar Pati, former Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) of Kakhara Gram Panchayat; Chittaranjan Bagsing, former PEO of Kumbharmuli GP; and Goutam Dalai, Accountant-cum-Data Entry Operator of Jaleswarpur GP, all under Bhogarai Block in Baleshwar district.
A Vigilance press release said the arrests were made in connection with the fraudulent diversion and misappropriation of government funds meant for elderly beneficiaries under the Social Security Scheme.
A case was registered at Baleshwar Vigilance Police Station vide Case No. 22/2026 under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 409 of the IPC.
During the investigation, it was found that the accused officials, during their tenure between 2022 and 2025, regularly drew advance amounts from the Bhogarai Block Development Office for the monthly disbursement of social security pensions to eligible beneficiaries.
However, instead of refunding or accounting for the unutilised cash after distributing the pensions, they allegedly misappropriated a total of Rs 16,76,500 for personal gain, the Vigilance release said.
The three accused were being forwarded to the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Baleshwar. Further investigation is in progress.