Bhubaneswar: Golanthara police arrested Samir Kumar Mishra, a former Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO), on Sunday for allegedly embezzling approximately Rs 1.37 crore from the Keluapalli gram panchayat by issuing fake cheque books under Rangeilunda block of Ganjam district.
According to reports, the scam was uncovered when the current PEO, Biswajit Ray, came across a fake passbook. Upon discovering the discrepancy, he immediately reported the matter to the Block Development Officer (BDO), triggering an investigation.
Further inquiries revealed that Mishra had submitted forged passbooks during the 2023-24 audit, siphoning off funds allocated by the state government for multiple development projects in the region.
Mishra was apprehended by the police and produced before the court today. The police also seized two mobile phones and an ATM card. The investigation is ongoing and the police are working to recover the misappropriated amount.
