Angul: On charges of misappropriating government funds of ₹33.8 lakhs, the Odisha Vigilance today arrested a cooperative official. 

The accused, identified as Patitapaban Majhi, is the former Secretary of the Garhsantri Service Co-operative Society (SCS) under the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank (AUCCB) Ltd, Banarpal Branch. He is currently a banking assistant at the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. headquarters in Angul.

Based on the alleged embezzlement of Govt funds over ₹33 lakhs, the Odisha Vigilance launched an investigation. The probe revealed the embezzlement of the government funds dates back to the financial year 2017-18.

Vigilance official sources stated during his tenure as the Executive Secretary of the Garhsantri SCS, Majhi was entrusted with managing daily financial collections and government deposits. Majhi allegedly made a series of fraudulent and fabricated entries in the primary account logs (Day Books) of the Garhsantri Service Co-operative Society and diverted the funds. While the books showed the transactions as balanced or accounted for, the corresponding physical cash totalling to ₹33,80,963 was never deposited into the Angul United Central Co-operative Bank. The diverted funds, meant for agricultural and cooperative development schemes, were instead pocketed and diverted for personal use.

The Cuttack Vigilance PS Case No 21 dated May 29, 2026 under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and different sections of IPC was registered against the accused. He was forwarded today to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Angul, the Vigilance official sources added.