Ganjam/Cuttack: On charges of misappropriating government funds worth over ₹2 crore, the Odisha Vigilance has arrested five staff members of the Health and Family Welfare Department.

The Berhampur Vigilance Police Station registered Case No. 04 in this regard on Wednesday and arrested the accused for their involvement in financial irregularities at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kodala, Ganjam district.

According to Vigilance sources, the accused allegedly falsified records to fraudulently draw arrear salary bills between 2023 and 2025.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Jatin Kumar Bhuyan, a senior assistant; Bharati Pradhan, a multipurpose health worker (female); Gopal Nahak, an attendant; Manu Nayak, a sweeper; and Rama Chandra Mallika, an attendant at PHC Beguniapada.

Officials said the accused prepared fake arrear salary bills in the names of hospital employees to siphon off government funds.

Following their arrest, all five were produced before the Court of the Special Judge (Vigilance), Berhampur.

The accused have been booked under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), along with relevant sections of the IPC (409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (316(5), 336(3), 338, 340(2), 61(2)).

Vigilance officials said the investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the fraud and identify any additional persons involved.