Vigilance Arrests ACTO & Two Others For Rs 4 Crore Fraud In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Vigilance has arrested an assistant commercial tax officer (ACTO) and two other persons for financial fraud amounting to more than Rs 4 crore in Bhubaneswar.

Following the allegation of misappropriation of government money by the officials of CT and GST, Bhubaneswar by abusing their official power for refund of VAT and disbursement of a sum of Rs 4,03,09,723 in favour of the suspicious private persons impersonated as the authorised person of the dealer GE Verona T&D Ltd (formerly known as GE T&D India Ltd), the Vigilance started investigation.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Satyaki Pattanaik and Deeptikanta Choudhury (private persons) in connivance with the officials of CT & GST, Bhubaneswar had siphoned of Rs 4,03,09,723 by filing forged and fabricated appeal on behalf of the original firm GE Verona T&D Ltd.

The officials had allegedly tampered financial instruments and entertained statutory forms containing forged signatures and seals submitted by them.

Basing on the inquiry report, the Vigilance filed a criminal case against Pattanaik and Choudhury, Abinash Pradhan, Staffer, CT & GST, Bhubaneswar, posted as ACTO in Jeypore.

All the three persons were arrested and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhubaneswar on Thursday.