Jharsuguda: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested Madhusmita Singh, former executive officer of Belpahar Municipality and suspended tehsildar of Jamda in Mayurbhanj district, in connection with the high-profile corruption case that has rocked Belpahar Municipality.
The case, involving alleged misappropriation of crores of rupees, had earlier led to the arrest of the municipality’s then-accountant, Bibhuti Sahu, by Belpahar police. After preliminary investigation, the case was handed over to the EOW on August 27, and Singh was suspended by the state Revenue Department on August 30.
According to sources, during Singh’s tenure as executive officer, irregularities amounting to more than ₹4 crore were detected. However, the EOW has now found that even under the current executive officer, Gourav Chandra Pradhan, payments exceeding ₹2 crore were made without proper scrutiny of the municipality’s cashbook.
Reliable sources indicate that the EOW has already summoned Pradhan for questioning, though the date of his appearance has not been confirmed. Investigators are expected to examine the status of the cashbook at the time Pradhan assumed charge and the basis on which he approved the payments.
The scandal has exposed not only lapses within the municipality but also glaring negligence on the part of the Treasury Department, the Treasury Directorate, the District Urban Development Agency (DUDA), and the district administration. Observers have raised sharp questions about how such a large-scale financial irregularity remained undetected despite regular review meetings concerning municipal bills, funds and projects.
The EOW has intensified its probe, signaling that further arrests and wider accountability across multiple departments cannot be ruled out.
