Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen) April 22: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch of Odisha Police has commenced an inquiry into an alleged embezzlement of approximately Rs 10 crore from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund in Mayurbhanj. Sources revealed that a team from the EOW in Bhubaneswar visited Baripada on Sunday before proceeding to the Bhanjpur police station to launch the investigation.
This action follows two days after the branch manager of Bank of India in Baripada filed a complaint with the police, alleging that funds from the DMF account of Zilla Parishad (ZP), Mayurbhanj, were illicitly withdrawn and transferred online to various accounts between April 10 and 18 in multiple transactions.
According to reports, nearly Rs 10 crore was moved to other accounts within eight days. The discrepancies came to light when the accounting staff of Zilla Parishad updated the records and reported the irregularities to higher authorities.
Bharati Hansdah, the president of Mayurbhanj ZP, stated that approximately Rs 2 crore was withdrawn from the Bank of India’s Baripada branch recently for development projects. However, upon revisiting the bank for additional funds, it was discovered that the remaining amount of nearly Rs 10 crore had already been withdrawn from the account.
An FIR was subsequently filed at the Bhanjpur police station, and the case was transferred to the EOW for a thorough investigation. EOW officials visited Baripada and the Bhanjapur police station to initiate the probe. Further updates on the matter are anticipated.
