Jagatsinghpur: The Odisha Vigilance has arrested two former officials of the Tirtol Block office in Jagatsinghpur district for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of government funds amounting to more than Rs 3 crore.

The arrested accused have been identified as Bhanja Kishore Behera, former SRA of Tirtol Block, and Pradipta Kumar Mallik, former PEO of Tirtol Block who has since retired. The arrests were made in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rs 3,02,95,000 in government funds.

According to the Vigilance, an extensive investigation covering the financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 uncovered a systematic financial fraud at the Tirtol Block office. The investigation also named Late Rajdeep Hansda, former AEE of Tirtol Block, in the case.

The officials allegedly manipulated and fabricated government salary registers and disbursement documents to facilitate the fraud. They were also found to have allegedly prepared and submitted inflated and fraudulent salary bills exceeding the sanctioned budget allocations.

The Vigilance further alleged that the misappropriated funds were subsequently transferred directly into the personal savings bank accounts of the accused officials.

In connection with the case, the Odisha Vigilance has registered Kataka Vigilance Police Station Case No. 30 dated August 12, 2026, under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, along with Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 34 of the IPC.

Behera and Mallik are being forwarded to the court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Kataka.

The investigation into the alleged financial irregularities and the role of other persons involved in the case is currently underway.