Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Monday arrested the former Principal of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya (OAV), Binika, in Subarnapur district, on charges of embezzling over Rs 55 lakh government funds meant for student welfare schemes.

The accused, identified as Soumya Ranjan Kheti, allegedly misappropriated Rs 55,02,610 between 2021 and 2025. According to Vigilance, the funds were siphoned off from the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme, Mo School Abhijan, and Girls’ Hostel Fund contingencies during his tenure.

Kheti had joined the school as Principal on September 29, 2021. Based on intelligence inputs regarding large-scale irregularities, Vigilance launched an inquiry, which confirmed the diversion of funds.

Following the probe, a case was registered against him under Sambalpur Vigilance P.S. Case No. 19/2025 under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Kheti has been taken into custody and is being interrogated to trace the full extent of the misappropriation and the usage of the siphoned funds.

During investigation, the Vigilance sleuths came to know that Kheti had used around Rs 11 lakh of the misappropriated amount for online betting on ‘Teenpatti’ App.

“Kheti had registered himself as a member on an online betting app, Teenpatti, and had engaged the misappropriated funds for gambling purpose on the app,” said the Vigilance Department.