Odisha : Vigilance Arrests Medical Academic and Ex-Cooperative Official in Separate Graft Cases
Odisha : Vigilance on Thursday reported two separate arrests in alleged corruption cases, involving a senior medical academic in Cuttack and a former cooperative society official in Balasore district. The cases relate to the suspected collection and misuse of public and institutional funds, following detailed surveillance and investigation by the anti-corruption agency.
Associate Professor Detained Over Suspected Illegal Cash
In the first case, vigilance officials arrested an Associate Professor from the Department of Hepatology at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after intercepting him with a substantial amount of unaccounted cash. The arrest followed intelligence inputs suggesting irregular financial dealings linked to procurement activities within the department.
According to officials, the accused, Dr. Sanatana Behera, was allegedly collecting illegal payments from bidders participating in the supply of medical instruments to the hepatology department. Based on this information, vigilance teams closely monitored his movements before taking action.
Interception and Seizure in Cuttack
The vigilance team intercepted Dr. Behera on Kathagolasahi Medical Road in Cuttack while he was travelling to his government-allotted residence on a Hero Honda Activa scooter. During the check, officials recovered Rs 2.63 lakh in cash from his possession.
A senior vigilance officer stated that the professor failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the source of the money. Following this, the entire cash amount was seized along with the scooter used at the time of interception.
Multiple Locations Searched by Vigilance Teams
Soon after the seizure, coordinated search operations were conducted at several locations connected to the accused. These included his government residential quarters on Cantonment Road, a triple-storeyed building located in CDA Sector 6, and a private clinic operating under the name “Eko Imaging Institute and Pro” on Mangalabag Medical Road in Cuttack.
Officials said the searches were carried out to verify possible accumulation of assets and to gather additional evidence related to the alleged collection of illegal funds. Further investigation in the case is currently underway.
Former Cooperative Society Secretary Arrested in Separate Case
In a separate operation on the same day, Odisha Vigilance arrested a former secretary of a cooperative society in Balasore district for alleged misappropriation of government funds under a crop insurance scheme.
The accused, identified as Subal Kumar Sahu, previously served as the secretary of Dahunda Service Cooperative Society under Bhogarai block. He is accused of diverting government funds amounting to approximately Rs 19.80 lakh by extending crop insurance benefits to ineligible members.
Alleged Manipulation of Records Under Crop Insurance Scheme
According to vigilance sources, the irregularities took place during the 2014–15 financial year. The investigation revealed that official records were allegedly manipulated to facilitate wrongful disbursement of funds under the Crop Insurance Scheme, resulting in financial loss to the government.
The case came to light following an audit and subsequent inquiry, after which Sahu was dismissed from service. Vigilance officials confirmed that the dismissal occurred prior to his arrest, once the extent of the alleged embezzlement was established.
Court Proceedings and Ongoing Investigation
Following his arrest, Subal Kumar Sahu was produced before the court on charges related to misappropriation of government funds totaling Rs 19,80,255. Authorities stated that further legal proceedings will continue as per due process.
Odisha Vigilance officials reiterated that both cases reflect the agency’s continued efforts to identify and act against corruption in public institutions and government-linked schemes. Investigations in both matters are ongoing, and officials indicated that additional findings may emerge as inquiries progress.