Cuttack/Jagatsinghpur, August 13: Odisha Vigilance has arrested two former officials of Tirtol Block in Jagatsinghpur district for their alleged involvement in the misappropriation of government funds amounting to over 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. Mallik has since retired. Both are being forwarded to the Court of the Hon’ble Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack.

According to the Vigilance investigation, the alleged financial fraud took place over a prolonged period spanning the financial years 2011–12 to 2021–22. The investigation found that Behera, Mallik and Late Rajdeep Hansda, former AEE of Tirtol Block, allegedly manipulated government salary registers and disbursement documents to facilitate the embezzlement.

The accused allegedly prepared and submitted inflated and fraudulent salary bills exceeding the sanctioned budget allocations. The misappropriated funds were subsequently transferred into their personal Savings Bank accounts, the Vigilance said.

The total amount involved in the alleged misappropriation has been estimated at Rs 3,02,95,000.

In connection with the case, Odisha Vigilance has registered Kataka Vigilance PS 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.

The investigation into the case is currently underway, officials said.