3 held in Rs 55 lakh tank renovation scam

Brahmapur: Odisha Vigilance on Thursday arrested two engineers and a contractor in connection with the alleged Rs 55.69-lakh financial irregularities in the Patnaik Tank reclamation and renovation project at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district.

Those arrested are D Yudhistir, former Junior Engineer and now Assistant Engineer of Gunupur Municipality, Sanjeev Champati, Municipal Engineer of Paralakhemundi Municipality, and contractor Surendra Panigrahi. They were produced before the Special Vigilance Court, Brahmapur.

Addressing a press conference at the Vigilance Division Office, Brahmapur, on Thursday, Vigilance SP Pradeep Pradhan said the alleged fraud took place during the execution of the Patnaik Tank reclamation and renovation project between 2019 and 2022. He said the investigation revealed that false and inflated measurements were allegedly entered in the official Measurement Books (MBs) for works that were either not executed or carried out below the prescribed specifications. The entries were subsequently verified and certified during check measurement, facilitating the release of Rs 1.22 crore to the contractor.

Pradhan said an independent technical assessment conducted by Odisha Vigilance found that works worth Rs 55.69 lakh were either not executed or were executed below the required standard, causing a corresponding loss to the State exchequer.

Describing the case as a well-planned conspiracy involving fabrication of official records and fraudulent certification to secure excess payment of public funds, the SP said the three accused have been booked under relevant provisions relating to corruption, criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating.

He said that further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of any other officials or individuals in the alleged scam.