Bhubaneswar: Debananda Sagar, the former Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) of Podapadar and Talnegi grampanchayat in Kalahandi district, has been arrested by the Vigilance sleuths for embezzling government funds to the tune of Rs 3.26 crores. The funds were misappropriated from the 15 CFC and 5th SFC accounts of the grampanchayats between 2018 and 2022.
Sagar, who joined government service as a PEO in 2016, allegedly used his official power to forge the signature of the Sarpanch and transfer funds to his personal account at SBI, Dharamgarh Bazar Branch. The misappropriated funds were used for cricket betting through an online portal called FAIRPLAY.
This is not Sagar’s first brush with controversy. In 2023, he was booked by the Vigilance for misappropriating ₹1.04 crore of government funds while serving as PEO in three grampanchayats
such as Badachhatrang, Birikot and Pahadpadar under Lanjigarh Block in Kalahandi district and was placed under suspension for such misappropriation.
The Odisha Vigilance has registered two more cases against Sagar and will produce him before the Special Judge, Vigilance, in Bhawanipatna. A detailed report is expected to follow.
