In a major crackdown on rural corruption, Odisha Vigilance today arrested two officials from Kanas Panchayat Samiti for allegedly embezzling ₹21.98 lakh meant for pension schemes.
Tuna Pradhan, the Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO), and Sagar Kumar Das, the Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS), are accused of siphoning off funds allocated under the Old Age Pension (OAP) and Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) between 2022 and 2025.
According to the complaint filed at the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station, the duo failed to disburse pension payments to eligible beneficiaries and instead diverted the funds for personal gain. The case has been registered under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Sections 316(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The arrests have sparked outrage among local residents and raised questions about oversight mechanisms in welfare fund distribution. Vigilance officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the flow of misappropriated funds and identify any additional accomplices.
